The pioneers, the lines, financing the Underground, management, trains and tunnels, the Underground at war, art, architecture, poetry and maths, Metroland and its family, accidents and tragedies and underground curiosities fill the pages with extraordinary facts and mini biographies, tube maps and London Transport imagery and line art. Besides achievements there are bizarre entries and strange structures built alongside the Northern Line to house the wartime government in an emergency, still there. Did you know that in 1829 the Triumph of the Rocket in the Rainhill trials established public transport of large numbers of people as a feature of the 19th century, and that Charles Yerkes, the man who did most to bring about the London Underground, was an American entrepreneur who created the Chicago 'Loop'. He was also a fraudster, a jailbird and died in debt. 144 pages, illus. New full price.

Sub-titled 'Previously Unpublished Tales of Derring-do from Pilots and Crew of the Lightning, Phantom and Hunter, Tornado and Other Aircraft'. The Cold War would persist for over 40 years from March 1947 until the dissolution of the Soviet Union in December 1991. In addition to nuclear and conventional military friction between the Eastern and Western blocs, the struggle for dominance involved a remarkable range of activities including the space race, psychological efforts, espionage, even rivalry at sporting functions and technological events. This diversity is reflected in the 20 chapters of this book which opens with a vivid description from the author of survival procedures used by English Electric Lightning pilots in the event of nuclear war. Various contributors share their original experiences on a range of fixed-wing aircraft and rotorcraft across the world including tales from RAF Germany, the Falklands and the Far East. At least 13 different aircraft are covered and each story demonstrates some of the intriguing circumstances faced by aircrew and ground crew whose tenacity and professionalism had to cope with miscellaneous situations of danger, excitement, risk, pathos and humour. Author Richard Pike became a flight cadet at Cranwell in 1961 and over his 40 year career converted to the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom and he eventually became a civilian helicopter pilot. 192pp, eight pages of colour and black and white photos.

A companion to Jet Provost Boys (code 94793) by the same author, here is definitive history of the basic and counter-insurgent aircraft at home and overseas in this revised edition. It is a complete and long overdue history of the Hunting/BAC Jet Provost and Strikemaster which for 38 years trained generations of pilots and pioneered the RAF's all-through flying training programme. Originally designed and built in 1951 as a private venture by Percival Aircraft in Luton, the Jet Provost became the primary jet-powered training aircraft for the RAF following a series of experimental courses at RAF Hullavington in 1955. By 1957 there was a contract for the production order of 100 T Mk 3s. The Jet Provost even had a display flying team between 1958 and 1976, but was eventually withdrawn from RAF service in September 1993. The development of the BAC 167 Strikemaster in the 1960s saw a light-attack aircraft designed for counter-insurgency operations, and predominantly used by overseas air forces. Adopted by 13 air forces, both types have seen an array of action, from the Dhofar War to operating as close support and counter-insurgency against well-armed, communist-backed guerrillas. Despite some 723 Jet Provost and Strikemaster airframes produced between 1954 and 1983, these aircraft have been overlooked in contrast to other jet types in the same period until now. David Watkins has accessed the archives of the Warton Collection and amassed a range of rare photography to accompany his extraordinary work of narrative and technical detail to satisfy the most avid aviation fans. 21.6 x 25.4cm, 224 large page softback packed with colour and other photos.

Sub-titled 'True Tales from the RAF, Indian and Finnish Pilots Who Flew the Single-Seat Fighter and Two-Seat Trainer'. The Folland Gnat was used by the RAF mainly in the advanced training role in the 1960s and 70s, and was an ideal lead-in trainer for high-performance aircraft such as the iconic Lightning, the first RAF supersonic fighter. It was also used by the famous Yellowjacks formation aerobatic team, formed in 1964, the forerunner of the world-famous Red Arrows team which was equipped with the Gnat for over a decade before being replaced by the Hawk in 1980. Lesser known, the Gnat was also used as a lightweight fighter by both the Indian and Finnish air forces. Later called the Ajeet (Midge), it saw combat experience in the Indo-Pakistani wars, most notably in the Battle of Boyra. Today over 60 years since the aircraft first flew, several Gnats continue to be operated from North Weald Airfield in Essex under the brand the Gnat Display Team. Gnat Boys has become one of the most sought-after books about aviation covering a very special era in history, and this book relates the history of the aircraft and untold stories by those who flew in them. They include well-known and distinguished aviators including those from Indian and Finnish air forces and there is also a focus on the civilian life of the Gnat into the 21st century with accounts from those who continue to fly the aircraft with the Heritage Aircraft Trust. Smoke on, go! 254pp, very well illustrated with colour and other photos.

Since 1922 officially classified as the A1, roads have changed so much since the original that in places we are left with an intriguing trail of discovery as we travel the 400 miles and follow every twist and turn of the old road including tiny country lanes and the remains of bygone carriageways, dead ends and wayside resthouses of distant memory. The Great North Road was the original incarnation of the A1 and A1 (M), the first major road which ran through towns and villages and carried Roman legions from north to south and back, from London to Edinburgh. In the days of turnpikes and the coaching era the York stagecoach took four days and the service began on Friday 12th April 1706. The book charts the rise and fall of roads and the Ministry of Transport, the Old North Road which began at Bishopsgate and the Great North Road which started at the General Post Office building at the southern end of Aldersgate Street in the City. The first toll gate stood at Islington, shown here in a print of 1809 and alongside is the 'now' colour photograph of the busy high street. In 1813, Archway was constructed to avoid the steep hill at Highgate, demolished in 1900 to be replaced by the present bridge, but in doing so London lost the landmark proclaiming where town and country met. North Finchley, the Battle of Barnet, the M25 to Baldock, here are old bypasses rebuilt, how this Great North Road passed through places such as Potters Bar High Street, alongside pubs and tea shops. We see how Hatfield has changed dramatically along with dozens of towns and villages on the route shown in superb archive photographs alongside a 2013 colour photograph together with many maps and other historic images. 216pp in elegant heavyweight large softback.

Sub-titled 'True Tales from the Operators of the Jet Provost and Strikemaster', the book is written with all the know-how of an ex-RAF officer. As a versatile and undemanding aircraft, the Jet Provost established itself as the basic trainer for the RAF from the late 1950s until its retirement in September 1993. This magnificent flying machine is explored through the vivid memories of former air crew from the RAF and foreign air forces. The aircraft had relative success within the civilian and military display flying circuit in the 1960s and 70s. It was also part of the prestige Golden Eagle Flight at RAF Cranwell which taught the then Prince of Wales how to fly. When the Mk.5 model became the BAC 167 Strikemaster after some modifications, it assumed a counter-insurgency and light-attack role and allowed it to be sold to air forces including Ceylon, Nigeria, New Zealand, Sudan and Venezuela where it played an effective role in many border disputes and internal warfare. It was crucial to the Sultan of Oman Air Force during the Dhofar War. The book includes a foreword by Squadron Leader Terry Lloyd who was leader of the 1964-65 Red Pelicans display team and is one of the 'Boys' series not to be missed for all aviation fans. 176 large pages, packed with colour and other photos and advertising.

Sub-titled 'True Tales from Operators of the RAF's First Single-Engined Jet' and written by an aviator who helps crew for the last airworthy ex-RAF Vampire in the world, the T.11 WZ507. Sliding out of the shadows of WWII, the de Havilland Vampire with the distinctive whine of its Goblin engine, quickly proved itself an effective alternative to piston-powered fighters. It entered service with the RAF in 1946 and held a number of notable records - the first fighter to exceed 500mph, the first to set a world altitude record of almost 60,000ft, the first to take off and land from an aircraft carrier, and the first jet to cross the Atlantic Ocean. Not bad for something built partly of wood. The book brings to life the trials and tribulations of operating a first-generation jet across the globe and their insightful anecdotes and exceptional experiences on every page. We follow squadrons across the dusty deserts of Iraq to exercises in West Germany, tales of aerial handling, incidents and accidents including the much-maligned spin characteristics, and squadron life. Together they paint a portrait of a pioneering time in aviation advancement right up to the T.11 still flying from Coventry Airport. With unique images throughout in both colour and sepia and mono. 208 large pages.