From small beginnings in ancient times, the ‘magic of steam’ grew until it delivered to an incredulous world a magnificent machine: the steam locomotive – and so began what was to become a never-ending love story.

Many believed the ‘Age of Steam’ would die in the 1960s, but the passion for these much-loved and -admired locomotives has ensured they live on into the twenty-first century, as we celebrate 200 years of the Stockton & Darlington Railway.

In this exciting new approach to exploring Britain’s railway history, popular railway historian Rosa Matheson examines the stories of steam locomotives that made history, from the famous and the favourites to the lesser-known or -talked about. With interesting facts and related new research and discussions, Great British Steam Locomotives that Made History is a must read for enthusiasts and historians alike, as well as for those seeking a good way into railway history and policy.

Dr ROSA MATHESON is Swindon’s best-known railway author. A long-time enthusiast of Swindon Works, GWR and women’s railway history, she has a large collection of memorabilia, has written a number of books and articles, and is active in presenting talks to the community. She has previously written Death, Dynamite and Disaster: A Grisly Railway History, Terror in the Tunnels, The GWR Story, Apprenticeship and Training in GWR’s Swindon Works, TRIP: The Annual Holiday for GWR’s Swindon Works, and The Fair Sex: Women and the GWR for The History Press.