Crewe needs little introduction. Even in a country built on railways, with many other railway centres, Crewe is a railway town that is unequalled: five major routes, several motive power depots, an extensive station, large marshalling yards and at one time the largest locomotive works in the world. The British Rail corporate era was the end of a golden age for the enthusiast; around Crewe the railway remained much as it had been in steam days, the station layout was unmodernised, two large motive power depots were in full use and the still vast locomotive works built and repaired locomotives in large numbers. This was a fascinating time of loco-hauled trains, traction exchange, parcels and mail services, freight and trip workings, new and ex-works locomotives and an almost continuous flow of trains. Only after much of this had disappeared did we realise what had gone. Though blue was the order of the day, it was far from dull. With an array of previously unpublished photos, this book looks back to a time when a trip to Crewe never failed to deliver!

Michael Hitchen hails from Crewe, Cheshire and works as a civil servant. He has a lifelong interest in transport subjects.