Random House New Releases - Transportation

Austerity Motoring 1939 - 1950 by Andrew Lane

2010-07-20T00:30:00-05:00

Austerity Motoring 1939 - 1950
Written by Andrew Lane

Trade Paperback, 32 pages | Shire | Transportation - Automotive - Antique & Classic | $11.95 | 978-0-85263-841-5 (0-85263-841-8)

The Great Western Railway by Tim Bryan

2010-07-20T00:30:00-05:00

The Great Western Railway
Written by Tim Bryan

Trade Paperback, 56 pages | Shire | Transportation - Railroads - History; History - Great Britain | $12.95 | 978-0-7478-0788-9 (0-7478-0788-4)

The London Underground by Andrew Emmerson

2010-07-20T00:30:00-05:00

The London Underground
Written by Andrew Emmerson

Trade Paperback, 56 pages | Shire | Transportation - Railroads - History; History - Great Britain | $12.95 | 978-0-7478-0790-2 (0-7478-0790-6)

The British Motor Industry by Jonathan Wood

2010-05-18T00:30:00-05:00

The British Motor Industry
Written by Jonathan Wood

Trade Paperback, 56 pages | Shire | Transportation - Automotive - Domestic - History; History - Great Britain | $12.95 | 978-0-7478-0768-1 (0-7478-0768-X)

Austin, Hillman, Morris, Standard and Wolseley were a handful of the myriad marques that once constituted Britain's indigenous motor industry. Born in 1896 into the high summer of Victorian prosperity, the native British industry survived until the collapse of The Rover Group in 2005. Jonathan Wood chronicles this industry's 109-year life, from its production of hand-made bespoke automobiles for the fortunate few to the arrival of mass production to provide cars for the many. He looks at the factories and the people who worked in them, and examines the role played by the component manufacturers that serviced the industry. Wood also offers explanations as to why motor manufacturing followed the British motorcycle, bicycle and cotton industries into oblivion.

The Flying Scotsman by Bob Gwynne

2010-04-20T00:30:00-05:00

The Flying Scotsman
Written by Bob Gwynne

Trade Paperback, 56 pages | Shire | Transportation - Railroads - History | $12.95 | 978-0-7478-0770-4 (0-7478-0770-1)

Flying Scotsman is probably the most famous railway locomotive in the world. When it was new in 1923 it caused a sensation for its beauty and its speed, and the engine found itself at the center of media attention that continued throughout the decade and made it a household name - to see it was the ambition of every young trainspotter.

But The Flying Scotsman was also a train. Since 1862 the 10am departure from London Kings Cross and Edinburgh Waverley had been the fastest and most comfortable way of travelling the length of the nation, and in 1923 it was officially titled The Flying Scotsman - a nickname it had been given many years earlier - and was confirmed as the most famous and prestigious train in the British timetable. Over the next fifteen years the train got faster and more luxurious, in response to competition from other routes, airlines and the motor car. From 1928 it began running non-stop, an achievement that earned it yet more attention. Until Mallard and its streamlined sisters took the train to even greater heights in the later 1930s, the apple green locomotives and teak carriages of The Flying Scotsman were a national icon, and never more so than when 4472, Flying Scotsman - the first locomotive to achieve an authenticated 100mph - headed the train herself.

This superbly illustrated book introduces the route of The Flying Scotsman the development of the train from 1862 to the present, and the extraordinary story of the locomotive that now forms the centerpiece of the British National Collection.

Austin-Healey by Graham Robson

2010-03-23T00:30:00-05:00

Austin-Healey
Written by Graham Robson

Trade Paperback, 64 pages | Shire | Transportation - Automotive - Antique & Classic; Antiques & Collectibles - Cars | $12.95 | 978-0-7478-0769-8 (0-7478-0769-8)

One of the sensations of the 1952 Motor Show was a two-seat sports car built by Donald Healey at a small factory in Warwick in the English Midlands. Before the show was over Leonard Lord, head of the British Motor Corporation (BMC) had struck a deal with Healey to mass produce the car, and the Austin-Healey was born.
This car, the 100, took both the British and US markets by storm. A beautiful, brutish car, it was what many sporting motorists had been waiting for, and its use of many standard BMC components made it relatively affordable.

In 1956 the four-cylinder engine of the 100 was replaced with the Austin C-series six-cylinder unit, creating the 100-6, and in 1959 this car was developed into the most famous Healey of them all - the 3000, that was as successful on the rally stage as it was loved on the open road.

Collectively the 100 and 3000 have become known as the Big Healeys, but as this name suggests, there was a corresponding 'small' Healey, and this car, the Sprite, was launched in Monte Carlo in 1958. Designed around the major mechanical components of the Austin A35, the Sprite set out to recreate the market for the cheap 'everyman's' sports car that hadn't existed since the 1930s. Distinguished by the headlights that protruded from the bonnet, the Sprite was soon nicknamed the Frogeye in Britain, or the Bugeye in the US. It was a big success, and remained in production until 1971, albeit in more conventionally styled form from the Mark 2 onwards.

Written by one of the foremost historians of the British motor industry, this book presents a concise history of Austin Healey, and the marque's success on road and track. Illustrated throughout, it will appeal to all lovers of this, the quintessential British sports car manufacturer.

The Road Haulage Industry by Chris Woodcock

2010-02-16T00:30:00-05:00

The Road Haulage Industry
Written by Chris Woodcock

Trade Paperback, 56 pages | Shire | Transportation - Automotive - Trucks; Transportation - Automotive - Domestic - History | $12.95 | 978-0-7478-0773-5 (0-7478-0773-6)

Road haulage has been in existence for as long as roads themselves: wherever goods need to be moved across land, people have set themselves up in business to carry those goods. For hundreds of years horses were at the center of this business, but in the twentieth century everything changed, first with the widespread use of steam power on the roads, and then the internal combustion engine.

The lorry driver was a new, hardy breed, working phenomenally long hours in all weathers and with few of the comforts afforded to today's truckers. Drivers needed to be able to maintain their own wagon, and loading and sheeting was an art hard leaned.

This book tells the real story of motor road haulage in Britain, featuring the design and development of the vehicles, competition from the railways and the coming of the motorway age, the changing organization of the industry, the services that kept the trucker going, from garage to transport cafe, and the men themselves. Illustrated throughout with period photographs, this will be a feast of nostalgia for anyone who has enjoyed a career in the industry, and real eye opener for anyone who hasn't. It will appeal not only to lorry enthusiasts but also to social historians and those wanting to know more about one of Britain's unsung industries.

Tractors by Nick Baldwin

2010-02-16T00:30:00-05:00

Tractors 1880s to 1980s
Written by Nick Baldwin

Trade Paperback, 64 pages | Shire | Technology - Agriculture & Animal Husbandry; Transportation - Automotive - Antique & Classic | $12.95 | 978-0-7478-0754-4 (0-7478-0754-X)

Of all motor vehicles the farm tractor has proved to be among the most beneficial. It has freed hundreds of thousands of laborers and horses from backbreaking toil on the land in all weathers and it has stabilized the cost of food.

Starting with steam power in the middle of the nineteenth century, the agricultural tractor became motorized in the early years of the twentieth century. From vast prairie types, lighter, one-man machines arrived in time to avert famine in the First World War. Mass production followed, which brought the price of tractors within reach of the average farmer. Meanwhile tractors changed from being simple substitutes for draught animals to highly sophisticated machines, with power takeoffs and hydraulically mounted implements. Pneumatic tires and diesel engines revolutionized the 1930s market, after which draught control and then inexpensive four-wheel-drive made sure that fuel and time went into crop production rather than wheelspin. This marked the end of the widespread use of tracked crawlers, as powerful and efficient wheeled tractors took their place, incorporating the latest multi-range transmission technology.

All the key developments and significant tractor makers are described in this book, from the beginning of the tractor's development to the 1970s. Illustrated by period views of machines at work and in contemporary sales literature, this is a nostalgic history of the machine that has been at the center of agricultural life since before World War II.

Land Rover by James Taylor

2010-01-19T00:30:00-05:00

Land Rover
Written by James Taylor

Trade Paperback, 64 pages | Shire | Transportation - Automotive - Antique & Classic; Antiques & Collectibles - Cars | $12.95 | 978-0-7478-0726-1 (0-7478-0726-4)

In the aftermath of the World War II, the long established Rover company of Solihull was fighting to survive. It needed a vehicle that would give it an advantage over its rivals. Taking the American Willys Jeep as inspiration, Rover designers came up with a four-wheel drive utility vehicle that would become an all-time classic. The Land Rover has undergone a number of facelifts in its sixty year life, but the vehicle made today is fundamentally very close to the 1948 original.

In 1970 the original Land Rover was joined by the Range Rover, originally conceived as a more comfortable utility vehicle but soon seized upon as the first in a new class of luxury vehicle. The Discovery was built to a similar brief to the original Range Rover, but has stayed closer to its conception, and in more recent times the range has been expanded further by the Freelander and Range Rover Sport SUVs.

This story of Land Rover, written by the foremost historian of the marque, encompasses all the models and divides them according to their use. The distinguished histories of Land Rover on expedition, in agriculture, warfare, and in many other fields are told separately, giving a new angle on this popular subject.

Morris Minor by Ray Newell

2009-11-17T00:30:00-05:00

Morris Minor
Written by Ray Newell

Trade Paperback, 48 pages | Shire | Transportation - Automotive - Antique & Classic; Antiques & Collectibles - Cars | $12.95 | 978-0-7478-0762-9 (0-7478-0762-0)

Scottish Fishing Boats by Matthew Tanner

2009-11-17T00:30:00-05:00

Scottish Fishing Boats
Written by Matthew Tanner

Trade Paperback, 32 pages | Shire | Transportation - Ships & Shipbuilding - History | $11.95 | 978-0-7478-0317-1 (0-7478-0317-X)

This book introduces the history of the Scottish fishing vessel and chronicles the developments that have created fishing machines which are not only highly effective tools but a delight to the eyes as well. Fishing has an unglamorous reputation, yet the story of the fishing boat is one of continual innovation and experiment in design and technology. A number of vernacular boat types have appeared, each one admirably adapted to its peculiar environment and its particular tasks. By 1900 the fishing boat had been developed into the famous very large and very fast luggers known as fifies and zulus, but at the time steam power and very then motor power were swiftly being taken on board. The variations in fishing fortune since the Second World War have seen the advent of the multi-purpose all-weather fishing vessel fully equiped with the latest in electronic safety, navigation and fish-finding gear. Now from his wheelhouse armchair the skipper of a modern purse-seiner can effectively outfish the combined efforts of five hundred boats of 1840 and still spend only one quarter of the time at sea.

Vintage Motorcycles by Jeff Clew

2009-11-17T00:30:00-05:00

Vintage Motorcycles
Written by Jeff Clew

Trade Paperback, 32 pages | Shire | Transportation - Motorcycles - History; Antiques & Collectibles - Cars | $11.95 | 978-0-7478-0277-8 (0-7478-0277-7)

After the close of the First World War, the British motorcycle industry rose to prominence as British motorcycles became almost unbeatable in competitions. However, a shortage of these new model bikes pushed prices to a premium and most people were forced to settle for prewar designs. These high prices led to greater competition, and greater competition lead to swifter and more innovative development. By the mid 1920s the overhead valve engine came into its own, with enhanced performance, and then the overhead camshaft engine with even greater potential. Internal expanding hub brakes kept safety in step with increased performance. The later 1920s brought about further significant changes when wired-on tyres came into general use and electric lighting replaced acetylene lights. Appearance was improved when chromium plating took the place of nickel and the saddle tank rendered the old flat tank superfluous.

Packed with illustrations of the bikes in use , this book is a celebration of the golden years of British motorcycles.

Brooklands by Nicholas Lancaster

2009-10-20T00:30:00-05:00

Brooklands Cradle of British Motor Racing and Aviation
Written by Nicholas Lancaster

Trade Paperback, 56 pages | Shire | Transportation - Automotive - Domestic - History; Transportation - Aviation - History | $12.95 | 978-0-7478-0707-0 (0-7478-0707-8)

Brooklands, near Weybridge in Surrey, holds a unique and highly important place in the histories of both motoring and aviation. It was the first purpose-built motor racing track in Britain and the first major circuit in the world. From 1907 to the outbreak of the Second World War, the banked circuit was the epicenter of British motor sport, and events at Brooklands - races and speed record attempts - were an important part of the sporting and social calendar.

Motor sport was not the only activity for which Brooklands was famous, however: it became an important center for aviation. The first flight of a British pilot in a British aircraft took place there in 1908, and Britain's first flying school was opened within the circuit in 1910. Several manufacturers began aircraft production at Brooklands, and the most important of these, Vickers, took over large parts of the site when motor racing stopped in 1939. Many aircraft, including the Wellington bomber, were built here in large numbers during the war.

When peace returned in 1945 the race track at Brooklands was in poor condition and built over in places. Racing never resumed, but the aviation history of the site grew ever stronger, with design and production of airliners including the VC-10 and Concorde. Today Brooklands is home to a thriving museum and, as the years pass, more and more of the old track is being restored to its former glory. This book tells the story of this unique and important site, and conjures up the atmosphere of pre-war race meetings, of wartime aircraft production, and the birth of some of the world's most famous aeroplanes.

Victorian and Edwardian Horse Cabs by Trevor May

2009-09-22T00:30:00-05:00

Victorian and Edwardian Horse Cabs
Written by Trevor May

Trade Paperback, 32 pages | Shire | Transportation - Automotive - Domestic - History | $11.95 | 978-0-7478-0430-7 (0-7478-0430-3)

The Hansom cab is one of the most striking images of the Victorian city, but it was not the only type of cab in use during the Victorian and Edwardian periods. Much of the work was done by the 'growler', a four-wheeled cab that rattled through the streets, laden with luggage and with families eager to catch a train. Trevor May travels through the streets of Victorian and Edwardian England to trace the origins of the horse cab and the improvements in its design throughout the period, and to celebrate the cab drivers themselves, who had a reputation for quick-wittedness and repartee equal to that enjoyed by today's taxi-driver.

The London Bus by James Taylor

2009-09-22T00:30:00-05:00

The London Bus
Written by James Taylor

Trade Paperback, 64 pages | Shire | Transportation - Public Transportation | $12.95 | 978-0-7478-0728-5 (0-7478-0728-0)

The red double decker bus is one of the enduring images of London. Although now increasingly replaced by modern bendy buses, the classic rear-entrance double-decker still appears on postcards, keyrings, t-shirts and other tourist souvenirs. Successor to the horse-drawn London buses of the nineteenth century, the B-type double-decker first appeared in the Edwardian period, and was the first in a classic line of London motorbuses. Take a trip back in time to explore the story of the London bus, from horse-drawn to bendy bus. With special attention paid to the much-loved double-decker, the author discusses bus design, manufacture and operation, plus the work of drivers and conductors, making this the perfect celebration of the best-loved bus in the world.

The Rover by George Mowat-Brown

2009-09-22T00:30:00-05:00

The Rover
Written by George Mowat-Brown

Trade Paperback, 32 pages | Shire | Transportation - Automotive - Antique & Classic | $11.95 | 978-0-7478-0154-2 (0-7478-0154-1)

For over a century, no surviving marque so accurately charted the triumphs and tribulations of the British motor-manufacturing industry as Rover. This book traces the history of the company, starting with the cycle-making precursors of the Rover Company Limited. Covering the struggle through the Depression of the 1930s, and the expansions, mergers and contractions of the post-war period - the time of Rover's greatest success - the author then discusses Rover's placement within British Aerospace, the influence of the Japanese company Honda, and the ownership by BMW and the Phoenix Consortium. This book celebrates the history of Britain's last volume car producer, up to its sale to the Nanjing Corporation of China.

The London Taxi by Bill Munro

2009-08-18T00:30:00-05:00

The London Taxi
Written by G.N. Georgano and Bill Munro

Trade Paperback, 64 pages | Shire | Transportation - Automotive | $12.95 | 978-0-7478-0692-9 (0-7478-0692-6)

The London Taxi is an iconic image of London transport and society. The unique vehicle is the only one in the world to be specifically designed for hire work in cities, and its distinctive turning circle of only 25 feet, a direct result of the strict regulations of design stipulated by the Public Carriage Office, serves it well for maneuvering through the busy traffic of the capital. Since the introduction of the London taxicab, a great variety of taxis have been produced and placed on the city's streets although the market has always been dominated by a few names, Austin being the leading taxi manufacturer in the 1930s and for decades after. This album follows the development of the taxi from its early years in the city through to the later models in the post-war era. Illustrated throughout with many black and white and color photographs, The London Taxi paints an image of the changing lifestyles of Londoners through the context of the growing cab trade and the many different styles of taxi that have served the people of London.

Traffic by Tom Vanderbilt

2009-08-11T00:30:00-05:00

Traffic Why We Drive the Way We Do (and What It Says About Us)
Written by Tom Vanderbilt

Trade Paperback, 416 pages | Vintage | Social Science - Sociology; Transportation - Automotive | $16.00 | 978-0-307-27719-0 (0-307-27719-4)

A New York Times Notable Book

One of the Best Books of the Year
The Washington Post • The Cleveland Plain-Dealer • Rocky Mountain News

In this brilliant, lively, and eye-opening investigation, Tom Vanderbilt examines the perceptual limits and cognitive underpinnings that make us worse drivers than we think we are. He demonstrates why plans to protect pedestrians from cars often lead to more accidents. He uncovers who is more likely to honk at whom, and why. He explains why traffic jams form, outlines the unintended consequences of our quest for safety, and even identifies the most common mistake drivers make in parking lots. Traffic is about more than driving: it's about human nature. It will change the way we see ourselves and the world around us, and it may even make us better drivers.

Old Delivery Vans by Nick Baldwin

2009-06-23T00:30:00-05:00

Old Delivery Vans
Written by Nick Baldwin

Trade Paperback, 32 pages | Shire | Transportation - Automotive - Antique & Classic | $11.95 | 978-0-85263-845-3 (0-85263-845-0)

Providing a vital service to communities and businesses over the years, delivery vans have evolved through time, with many different models taking to the road. In the 1920s and 1930s many types of unusual bodywork were fitted and numerous and diverse technical specifications were available. Exploring the fascinating development of old delivery vans, the author discusses the improvements and fashions up to the 1960s, including the advances in locomotion from steam to petrol, electricity and diesel. With a close look at the Ford Model T, which first brought the van within the reach of high street business, and then at the more purpose-built light vans after 1945, this is a comprehensive and fully illustrated introduction to the history and design of classic delivery vans.

The Model T Ford by Jonathan Wood

2009-05-19T00:30:00-05:00

The Model T Ford
Written by Jonathan Wood

Trade Paperback, 40 pages | Shire | Transportation - Automotive - Antique & Classic | $11.95 | 978-0-7478-0432-1 (0-7478-0432-X)

With 16.5 million built between 1908 and 1927, the Model T Ford was, until overtaken in the 1970s by the Volkswagen Beetle, the most popular car in automotive history. Mass-produced in America and around the globe, such was the Model T's market penetration and value-for-money that in 1921 Henry Ford's deceptively robust Tin Lizzie accounted for every other car on the highways of the world. Illustrated with many rare contemporary photographs from the Ford archives, this album charts the model's nineteen-year evolution and seeks to explain how this quirky, ingenious motor car put the world on wheels.

Random House New Releases - Transportation

Austerity Motoring 1939 - 1950 by Andrew Lane

Austerity Motoring 1939 - 1950 Written by Andrew Lane

The Great Western Railway by Tim Bryan

The Great Western Railway Written by Tim Bryan

The London Underground by Andrew Emmerson

The London Underground Written by Andrew Emmerson

The British Motor Industry by Jonathan Wood

The British Motor Industry Written by Jonathan Wood

The Flying Scotsman by Bob Gwynne

The Flying Scotsman Written by Bob Gwynne

Austin-Healey by Graham Robson

Austin-Healey Written by Graham Robson

The Road Haulage Industry by Chris Woodcock

The Road Haulage Industry Written by Chris Woodcock

Tractors by Nick Baldwin

Tractors 1880s to 1980sWritten by Nick Baldwin

Land Rover by James Taylor

Land Rover Written by James Taylor

Morris Minor by Ray Newell

Morris Minor Written by Ray Newell

Scottish Fishing Boats by Matthew Tanner

Scottish Fishing Boats Written by Matthew Tanner

Vintage Motorcycles by Jeff Clew

Vintage Motorcycles Written by Jeff Clew

Brooklands by Nicholas Lancaster

Brooklands Cradle of British Motor Racing and AviationWritten by Nicholas Lancaster

Victorian and Edwardian Horse Cabs by Trevor May

Victorian and Edwardian Horse Cabs Written by Trevor May

The London Bus by James Taylor

The London Bus Written by James Taylor

The Rover by George Mowat-Brown

The Rover Written by George Mowat-Brown

The London Taxi by Bill Munro

The London Taxi Written by G.N. Georgano and Bill Munro

Traffic by Tom Vanderbilt

Traffic Why We Drive the Way We Do (and What It Says About Us)Written by Tom Vanderbilt

Old Delivery Vans by Nick Baldwin

Old Delivery Vans Written by Nick Baldwin

The Model T Ford by Jonathan Wood

The Model T Ford Written by Jonathan Wood

Austerity Motoring 1939 - 1950
Written by Andrew Lane

The Great Western Railway
Written by Tim Bryan

The London Underground
Written by Andrew Emmerson

The British Motor Industry
Written by Jonathan Wood

The Flying Scotsman
Written by Bob Gwynne

Austin-Healey
Written by Graham Robson

The Road Haulage Industry
Written by Chris Woodcock

Tractors 1880s to 1980s
Written by Nick Baldwin

Land Rover
Written by James Taylor

Morris Minor
Written by Ray Newell

Scottish Fishing Boats
Written by Matthew Tanner

Vintage Motorcycles
Written by Jeff Clew

Brooklands Cradle of British Motor Racing and Aviation
Written by Nicholas Lancaster

Victorian and Edwardian Horse Cabs
Written by Trevor May

The London Bus
Written by James Taylor

The Rover
Written by George Mowat-Brown

The London Taxi
Written by G.N. Georgano and Bill Munro

Traffic Why We Drive the Way We Do (and What It Says About Us)
Written by Tom Vanderbilt

Old Delivery Vans
Written by Nick Baldwin

The Model T Ford
Written by Jonathan Wood