The Erewash Valley line, linking the busy railway junctions at Trent through the once bustling yards of the iconic railway location of Toton and to the main line at Clay Cross, has seen much in the way of change over the last half a century. Infrastructure, traffic types, wagon and locomotive classes have all seen a mixture of rationalisation, overhaul, replacement, withdrawal and investment. This changing scene has provided enthusiasts and photographers with outstanding variety and opportunities to record the changing times, and while the amount of traffic lost can be lamented, the modern-day photographer can still find good variety. With 180 previously unpublished photographs, this book provides a snapshot of diesels working over the route through this period of change, from the corporate British Rail era to the early years of privatisation and up to the present day.

Paul Robertson is a career railwayman with a lifelong interest in trains. He has lived in earshot of the yards at Toton, and thoroughly documented the local freight scene.