John Jackson

There is no doubt that a greater understanding of the UK wagon fleet enhances the appreciation of the rail-enthusiasts’ hobby, whether for railway modelling purposes or simply enjoying watching the real thing, or both. The wagon numbering system alone is outdated and can be a minefield. Wagons built since 2008, including some conversions and rebuilds, now conform to the Europe-wide system of wagon numbering. In this book, however, the focus is on exploring almost 200 examples from among the thousands of UK wagons remaining in use that carry private-owner or nationalised UK air-braked numbering systems.Since the TOPS coding system was introduced in the 1970s much has changed in the rail-freight sector. The alphabetical classification used for wagon types has not. In this publication the 100 or so classifications are each featured and explained. Ranging from flat wagons for carrying shipping containers to wagons designed specifically for carrying steel or stone, for example, the variety of wagons built in the twentieth century that are still in use today are detailed.Drawing on one of the largest collections of wagon images on the Internet, John Jackson explores these survivors with the featured wagons arranged numerically for ease of reference. The cross-section included is designed to enhance the enthusiast’s understanding and, it is hoped, enjoyment of watching freight trains in the UK.

Bedfordshire may be amongst England’s smallest counties but its 700,000 residents and increasing numbers of visitors have a wealth of places to explore within its boundaries. Alongside the urban areas of Luton and Bedford, the county offers plenty of green spaces, including the Chiltern Hills. The county has connections with John Bunyan, author of Pilgrim’s Progress, Catherine of Aragon and the Whitbread family, dating back some 250 years when the brewing pioneer was MP for Bedford. In this book local authors John and Jenny Jackson reveal the vital role a Bedfordshire barn played during World War, exactly why Luton Town Football Club are appropriately nicknamed ‘The Hatters’, the churchyard that inspired J. M. Barrie’s character, Wendy, in Peter Pan, and much more.50 Gems of Bedfordshire explores the many places and their history that make this part of the country so special, including natural features, towns and villages, buildings and places of historical interest. Alongside justly famous attractions, others will be relatively unknown but all have an interesting story to tell.

At the end of the 1980s a fleet of fifty Class 90 electric locomotives was to commence service for British Rail. The rail privatisation in the following decade saw the fleet divided between a number of private operators, including Virgin Trains and Rail Express Systems. Their duties were soon to extend to both passenger and freight work across most of the country’s electrified network.While some examples have been sidelined for a number of years, the majority of the fleet is still going strong as it approaches its fortieth anniversary in traffic. During that time, these locomotives have sported a variety of liveries, reflecting their diverse ownership and usage. The class spent many years at work on passenger duties along the length of the West Coast Main Line as well as Great Eastern flagship services between London and Norwich. These stalwarts even made appearances on both Anglo-Scottish sleeper services and were frequently hired in to perform East Coast Main Line passenger duties between King’s Cross and Yorkshire. Often operating in pairs, the class was used by both Freightliner and DB Cargo for their longer distance container workings, again where the power supply allowed. John Jackson highlights the diversity of the class with photographs from all electrified corners of the UK railway network across their four decades at work, proving they still have their worth on the network today.

This important stretch of railway line through the Midlands connects England’s second city with the strategically important railway centre of Derby. The area is served by local passenger services as well as forming part of the strategically important cross-country route linking Scotland and the North East of England with Bristol and the South West. However, it is the variety of freight traffic that draws the rail enthusiast to this area. The frequent passing of coal trains may have ceased, but this key stretch of railway still has a lot to offer. From oil and steel to aggregates and container traffic, all the country’s main freight operators are regular visitors to the area. This rail enthusiast popularity extends to the intermediate stations of Burton-on-Trent and Tamworth. The latter’s split-level platforms are particularly busy as the town sits at the crossroads of this cross-country route and the West Coast Main Line, which passes below. Less well-known outside of the enthusiast circle is the important junction at Water Orton, where services towards Leicester and the east of England leave the main Derby line.In this publication, John Jackson examines the 40 miles of railway from Birmingham to Derby in detail. The selection of photographs includes a nostalgic look back at the now-closed diesel depot at Saltley, close to the heart of Birmingham, as well as demonstrating the railway’s importance to Derby that continues to the present day.