An Illustrated History of the Atlantic Coast Express

This volume is a highly detailed illustrated history of the perennially popular Atlantic Coast Express, which continues to capture public and enthusiast interest over forty years after its final trip. The Atlantic Coast Express, or ACE, was the Southern Railway's primary express train from London Waterloo to the West Country. Operating between 1926 and 1964, it served, at its maximum, no fewer than nine different termini in Devon and Cornwall. The train had its origins in the postWorld War 1 environment where the Southern Region was seeking to compete with the Great Western Railway in terms of traffic to the West Country, but also increasingly against the coach and the private car. The level of service varied considerably during the year. In the winter months a single train alone was normally required, but in the summer, at the height of the holiday season, the express could be formed by as many as five different departures from Waterloo.