Southern & Isle of Wight Railways- the Late 1940 to the Late 1960s

The 1950s and 1960s was a time of profound cultural and technological transformation. With images and vivid recollections, we journey back to post-war East Anglia and the East Coast Main Line with many locations changed beyond recognition. Trackside, at busy stations, and in and around depots, an evolving mood is revealed in pictures. In the 1950s, railway pride and optimism overcame staff shortages; returning locomotives to pre-war performance and introducing modern BR standard classes. By the 1960s, fiscal efficiency and the dawning diesel era turned pride to neglect of steam. Sparkling steel, brass and tallow gave way to dust, rust and flaking paint. Heroic workhorses were lost to scrap. As the mood turned to melancholy, just a few of these great workhorses became pets – polished, loved, and cared for by dedicated railway workers and a growing band of enthusiastic volunteers.