Steam on the Great Eastern, Norfolk and Suffolk

This book draws heavily on that doyen of photographers of Eastern England, Dr Ian C Allan. The eastern counties of England had no heavy industry to stimulate the growth of the railway network – agriculture and fishing providing much of their income – with the result that many of the early railway companies suffered financial problems and ultimately became part of the Great Eastern Railway in 1862. The company managed to strengthen is position, eventually operating most of the lines in the two counties. In 1923 the GER was merged into the London & North Eastern Railway; the ‘Big Four’ era saw increasing holiday traffic to seaside resorts, although this was concentrated over the course of only a few weeks in the summer. After an all too brief Indian summer following the end of World War 2 this traffic dwindled and car ownership reduced railway patronage even further. It was during this era that Dr Ian C Allen was at his busiest photographing the railways as the very reason for their existence dwindled away.