Scotland's Railways : The Classic Photography of W. J. Verden Anderson

W. J. V. Anderson is undoubtedly one of the most widely respected railway photographers whose images are almost instantly recognisable from their unsurpassed technical accomplishment and the skill of their composition. Undoubtedly two of the best reviewed and commercially successful railway publications produced by Ian Allan Publishing in recent years have been the two volumes co-authored by Brian Stephenson and Keith Anderson drawing upon the stunning photography of the late W. J. Verden Anderson and featuring the dramatic landscapes of Scotland. The first volume, illustrated in both mono and colour, concentrated upon Anderson's steam photography whilst the second volume, illustrated largely in colour, featured diesel traction. This new book which is predominantly illustrated in colour throughout, draws upon the large number of unpublished images that did not feature in the original book, and portrays the Scottish Region during the years from 1960 through to around 1980. At the start of the period, Scottish Region was still predominantly steam operated with countless classes of locomotive that predated the Grouping of 1923. Although there had been some route closures, the large networks that once served the Highlands were still largely intact and the threat of the Beeching Report was yet to come. Scottish main-line steam ceased in 1967 by which date significant closures - such as the Port Road - and already occurred and further significant losses - such as the Waverley route - were still to occur. The great variety of steam locomotive had been replaced by a range of diesel locomotive and multiple-unit classes, many of which were destined not to outlast steam by long. By the late 1970s, Scottish Region, as elsewhere, was dominated by Rail Blue, but there was still a sufficient variety of locomotive type to drawn enthusiasts to the country.