In the early 19th century, Richard Trevithick discovered that to power a small engine you required high pressure steam, and the end-result was a railway network. Railway engineer Joseph Locke first worked for his father's colliery in West Yorkshire, and when he moved to the Newcastle area he joined the Stephenson family business, acting as an assistant to Robert Stephenson over the surveys and plans for the Liverpool and Manchester railway. The scheme was initially rejected by parliament, and there was also a faction arguing for cable haulage. Joseph and Robert prepared a report that George Stephenson put out in his name, and finally their prototype Rocket won the contest. Meanwhile Joseph was engaged with engineering problems traversing Chat Moss. The directors of the line had a disagreement with George Stephenson, who left the company, and Locke felt his only option was to stay with his mentor, but when trustees of the Liverpool and Manchester Line called him back to correct George's calculations, the embarrassment caused a temporary rift. The ceremonial opening of the line is famous for the death of William Huskisson MP who moved forward to shake hands with his old antagonist the Duke of Wellington and was hit by the locomotive. George Stephenson moved to the Grand Junction Railway in the Midlands with Locke as his assistant, but when the two-mile Woodhead tunnel under the Peak District ran into problems, partly because shareholders with no engineering experience kept arriving at the site and giving orders, and partly because the men were housed in inadequate shelters, Locke was called in to sort out the disaster in spite of his aversion to tunnels, asking for a budget that was twice the original estimate. Locke later worked on a range of railways including the route north over Shap Fell, and deserves to be mentioned alongside the Stephensons as one of railway's great pioneers. 16.5 x 24cm, 180pp, colour photos.

After 50 years in RAF uniform, here is the story of Tom Eeles, a true gent (as most pilots are). Having entered RAF College Cranwell in 1960, Tom Eeles began flying training in January 1962 on the Jet Provost and gained his RAF wings on 30th July 1963. This was followed by advanced flying training in the Gnat T1 and his first posting was to No 16 Squadron flying the Canberra B(I) 8. Its role as a light bomber squadron was primarily nuclear strike, with a secondary role of conventional ground attack by day and night. 16 Squadron was deployed to Kuantan, about halfway up the east coast of Malaya, tasked with providing long range day and night divebombing and strafing with 1000lb bombs and 20mm cannon on airfields on Java. In July 1966 and on loan to the Senior Service, Tom reported to RNAS Lossiemouth for a swept wing conversion course on the Hunter before starting the Buccaneer Operational Flying Course. Posted to 801 NAS, HMS Victorious in the Far East, in 1969 Tom joined 736 Naval Air Squadron responsible for training courses of RAF aircrew. In July 1972 he moved to 12 Squadron based at RAF Honington whose task was to provide a maritime strike/attack capability, and a nuclear strike capability. 1975 saw a move to 79 Squadron flying the Hunter and after a spell at the RAF Staff College, Tom became Staff Officer responsible for all aspects of fast jet advanced flying training on the Hawk at Valley, and multi engine advanced flying training at Finningley. In 1983 he was selected to command 237 OCU and commanded the Examining Wing at the Central Flying School and retired in 1997 but became a full time reservist until November 2004. He continued to fly with 5AEF until September 2010. And still has 'a passion for flying after all these years.' 'I also dabbled in air defence and had a long association with flying training in all its variety, ranging from operational conversion right down to elementary teaching.' From the serious to the hilarious here are the tours, the jinx, the technology, the camaraderie and the shared passion for the freedom of the skies. Tom has totalled over 8,000 hours flying! 147 page well illustrated paperback.

Janet Schaw, 1774: 'Nothing can be less cleanly than our cabin, unless it be its commander?' Britain's island status means that its citizens have always needed to cross the waves to travel any great distance. Maritime genealogist Dr Simon Wills has specialised in studying Britain's seagoing heritage and its impact on contemporary lives. Join intrepid Thomas Dallam confronting fearsome 16th century privateers, endure the horror of contagious disease at sea with William Smith in 1847, enjoy meals, concerts and romance with Herbert Watts on a Victorian P&O cruise or witness the Lusitania's last journey with passenger Phoebe Amory. Each chapter narrates one traveller's voyage based on their first-hand description and many are previously unpublished. There are emigrants seeking a new life abroad such as the pilgrims on the Mayflower, author Henry Fielding travelling to improve his health, whilst the wealthy George Moore crossed the Atlantic on Brunel's Great Western to do business. Here are the delays to sailing schedules, poor diet, enemy action and shipwreck, a steamship to Australia, Mediterranean and Suez, honeymooners, taking an African holiday, visiting the Caribbean, a steerage passenger to New York to a world cruise in luxury. Experience how passenger pursuits, facilities and experiences at sea have changed over time. Hugely entertaining, 176pp, 16 pages of photos and woodcut illus.

Relive the races and wins through Moss's own eyes with all the landmark races including Monaco Grand Prix, Le Mans 24-Hours, Mille Miglia, Monte Carlo Rally, Sebring 12-Hours, German Grand Prix, Goodwood 9-Hours, Tourist Trophy and more. The very name Stirling Moss conjures up speed, excitement, heroics and adventure and this is the fascinating story of his early years and his meteoric rise to fame. Based entirely on his own archives and personal scrapbooks, diaries and albums, this book is unique. Never before has so much intriguing material been published on arguably the greatest racing driver of all time. And we have two volumes (the second code 94959) featuring on the triumphant year of 1955. Here is the full story of the Grand Prix racing, the sports and sports racing cars, the rallying exploits, the little 500 racers, the record-breaking, the girls, the friends. There are great names like Fangio, Farina, Ascari, Hawthorne, Collins and many of the most evocative racing cars - C-types and D-types, Maseratis, Coopers, HWMs, Kiefts, XK120s, Frazer Nashes, Mercedes-Benz W196, BRM. Moss is quoted extensively as is his famous rallying sister Pat Moss-Carlsson and they relive and describe this formative, challenging period in his life, early successes, frustration of bad cars and retirements, the great cars, circuits and rivals. It brings alive all the colour, atmosphere, the danger, the girls and the fun of this wonderful period in motorsport. The huge landscape pages are adorned with hundreds and hundreds of archive photographs, many in sepia, black and white, colour plus clippings and front page headlines, headlines of articles underlined in pen like "19 year old Cooper expert Stirling Moss", a calendar of events, postcards, excerpts from letters, publicity work - this really puts us in pole position. 160 landscape pages, 12 x 14" and over 500 images and photographs.

Stirling Moss is a national treasure and arguably the greatest all-round racing driver. He was also one of the first jet-setters, living a glamorous life of high octane motorsport and beautiful women. Above all he was a dedicated sportsman and probably the first to make motor racing his sole profession, and throughout his career he created personal scrapbooks, several volumes per year, and diaries. These treasures delight and fascinate and are supplemented by period comments and his many anecdotes. Long term friends and former colleagues have shared their fond memories with Philip Porter for the book. The year 1955 was a truly remarkable one for Moss. Yet to establish himself at the highest levels and gamely persevering with uncompetitive British machinery, he finished the year second only to the great Fangio in the World Championship and a household name. In 1955 he won his first Grand Prix, won the uniquely gruelling Targa Florio, won the classic Tourist Trophy for the third time and, most amazingly of all, brilliantly won the Mille Miglia, the sensationally dangerous 1000 mile race around the roads of Italy, reaching over 170mph! Relive these moments through his own words, archive clippings, articles, letters and the finer details like his sterling silver cigarette case, hospital visits, drinks parties on yachts plus calendars of events, tickets, signed posters and photographs, cartoons, the three mile Aintree circuit, the men in the pits and the Mercedes Team and much more. A big glossy format book measuring 12 x 14" capturing a glossy period with stylish photography and text compiled by the award-winning motoring author, we have these two volumes in short supply and they are a must for every racing enthusiast and those who remember this period and headlines. 162pp, 35.5 x 30.5cm.

Cruisers, minelayers and armed merchant cruisers of the Royal Navy and Commonwealth are depicted in detail, along with discussion on changes of armament and electronics that affected the outward appearance of each ship. During WWII, navies developed low visibility camouflage, applied to both the vertical and horizontal surfaces of their ships, in order to reduce visibility by blending in with the sea, or confuse the identity of a ship by applying obtrusive patters. All the paint schemes that adorned the vessels are celebrated in this volume by maritime artist Mal Wright. Beginning with the older cruisers, he covers all the classes, taking in heavy cruisers and pre-war and wartime cruisers. A large section also covers minelayers and armed merchant vessels (AMCs). Where possible both sides of the ship are depicted and many schemes would be difficult for any reader to unearth other than with the most intensive research. Historians, collectors, model makers, war gamers will appreciate the more than 800 full colour illustrations, arranged by ship type rather than camouflage scheme, in this concentrated one-volume reference. With extended captions and some beautiful original paintings by the author in full page reproductions. A Naval Institute Press publication, 20.3 x 26cm, 192pp, colour.

Shortlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year 2012, the sub-title is 'Inside the TT: The World's Most Dangerous Race', updated to include an Afterword, the book looks at the Isle of Man TT race through the eyes of Cummins, Martin, McGuinness and Dunlop. It is a life-affirming journey and a throwback to a maverick era. Guy Martin is a tea-drinking truck mechanic and TV eccentric who 'sucks the rabbits out of hedges' but must now deal with the flipside of fame. Conor Cummins is the local hero facing a race against time as he battles depression and a broken body after falling down the mountain. John McGuinness is the living legend fending off the ravages of middle age for one last hurrah. Michael Dunlop is the wild child living with one of the most remarkable legacies in sport. Rick Broadbent gets inside the helmets of these four leading motorcycle racers as they battle fear, fire and family tragedy for a gritty sort of glory. It is the most rounded, intimate, behind-the-scenes account yet of the last great race. 360 page paperback, 16 pages of colour photos.

Set comprises Stirling Moss Scrapbook 1929-1954 and Stirling Moss Scrapbook 1955. Make more savings and buy the rare set.