The British Railways Class 9Fs were the last main line steam locomotives built in any great numbers in Britain, with the final locomotive, Evening Star, being handed over from Swindon works in 1960.
Designed at Brighton and built at Crewe and Swindon between 1954 and 1960, the class suffered from the fact that, as with the rest of the Standard locomotive classes, they were withdrawn well before their intended demise. When the locomotives were designed, it was anticipated the steam motive power would remain into the 1980s while the railway network was electrified. However, with the reduction of people willing to work with steam and the rush to change to diesel traction, the 9Fs were forced into retirement, with many of the class never receiving a heavy overhaul.
This book contains a series of photographs of the 9Fs at work during the 1950s and 1960s, with each photograph accompanied by an extensive caption, providing background information about the illustrated locomotive. An introduction and full list of locomotives is also included. 112 pages.