The RC Riley Colour Collection · British Railways Standard Classes

The nationalisation of the railways in 1948 naturally saw old company loyalties rise to the fore with each of the former ‘big four’ firmly believing that their locomotives and facilities were preferable to the rest. It took a shrewd brain, that of one Robert ‘Robin’ Riddles who was responsible for motive power on the new network to realise that with insufficient funds available for full-scale electrification a stop gap number of steam engines would be required. The result was the 12 ‘Standard’ classes, a total of 999 engines built and which might be seen anywhere from Cornwall to North Scotland. Changing politics and priorities would see many of these engines destined to have working lives far short of their intended time and which with the benefit of hindsight was a colossal waste of taxpayers’ money. Even so with lives varying between four and seventeen years they made their mark and even began to be appreciated by the men who worked them. This book is a coloured reminder of their working lives.