A detailed history of the life and locos of Edward Thompson, the London & North Eastern Railway’s second Chief Mechanical Engineer after the death of his predecessor Sir Nigel Gresley in 1941.
The book starts by looking at Thompson’s early life and his education at Marlborough College and Pembroke College, Cambridge, followed by his growing influence in the LNER’s predecessor company the North Eastern Railway and its loco designs as he established himself in his career. As well as steam loco design, the book also describes Thompson’s influence in the NER’s early electrification projects such as the Tyneside Electric scheme covering the Newcastle suburban network, and his role in the Great Northern Railway’s carriage building programme started by Gresley.
Thompson was a controversial figure, choosing to reconstruct several classes of steam loco that he inherited from Gresley, and the book looks at the complex reasons for these decisions. It also examines his personal life, including his experiences serving in both world wars, the deteriorating health and death of his wife Gwen and ultimately his own decline and demise.
The book is well illustrated with photos, drawings and diagrams, including some very early colour photos.
Hardback. 284 pages. Over 500 photos, drawings and diagrams.