TODAY AND TOMORROW

As the revolution of operating methods and the sweeping changes in equipment predicted in the 1955 Modernisation Plan gather momentum, interest in British Railways is at an unprecedented peak. This is attested by the fact that the British magazine Trains illustrated has a considerably higher circulation than any other independent railway periodical in the world

The author of this book, G. Freeman Allen is editor of Trains Illustrated and, by virtue of his daily contact with developments on British Railways and personal study of the many changes now taking place, is ideally qualified to present this first fully detailed picture of the modernised railway system now taking shape.

Much has already been published describing the new rolling stock and equipment individually and their methods of working, but this book is unique as a survey of the modernised British Railways as a whole. It explains clearly, and not always uncritically, how each new development in traction, vehicles, signalling, permanent way and operating methods will play its part in achieving the vital objective of improved service to the customer at reduced operating costs. In particular, it includes the first comprehensive account for the layman of the methods and considerations upon which the timetabling and running of all types of passenger and freight trains are based, both now and for the future. It has been revised comprehensively in the light of recent development for this second edition