"...the author is to be congratulated on a well-researched account which places the development of the A4s in the context of their time. It will appeal to those who revere the works of Sir Nigel Gresley and the machines he created, but should be of interest to others with an interest in steam locomotive development."

The Journal of the Friends of the National Railway Museum - Summer 2023, Issue 184

The book is a must for any Gresley, LNER Pacific steam locomotive enthusiast wanting more of the background details that went into the design & production of the 35 A4s. The most wonderful Pacific ever built!

Bradford Railway Circle

This book provides a thoroughly readable account of a fascinating period between the wars when the pursuit of speed and glamour on Britain’s railways was seen as winning formula. Recommended.

West Somerset Railway Association

"There are some excellent photographs...."

Railway and Canal Historical Society

"With inspiration from the author’s late uncle Ronald Hillier, a trawl of the NRM’s archives and published works by others, this is an interesting analysis."

Steam World - February 2023

This is a truly glorious book, and I have enjoyed every page of it! This is the book that I wish had been available to me when I first got the job of Head of Engineering at the National Railway Museum, because it makes sense of all the names of those good folks I heard about who surrounded and nurtured Nigel Gresley and were part of his team that created this magnificent, streamlined machine that I kept hearing references to but couldn’t place them in the narrative.

I cannot recommend it more highly to our readers.

The Society of Model and Experimental Engineers - York Model Engineers Newsletter, March 2023

Having previously written biographies of the 3 LNER Chief Mechanical Engineers, the author this time turns his attention to the development and introduction of perhaps one of Gresley’s greatest designs – the A4 pacific. It begins with his initial appointment at the GNR in 1911and follows the process right through to his untimely death in 1941, by which time the locomotives had proved to be an unqualified success. It suggests that the A4 was a logical progression from the A1 pacific first introduced in 1922 at the end of the GNR era. The art deco period was influencing design in many aspects of life and the railways were not to be left behind. Gresley was conscious of what was happening in other parts of the world and in particular the work of Andre Chapelon and Etorre Bugatti in France, Norman Bel Geddes in America, and Richard Wagner in Germany. All were linking style in design with the quest for speed and Gresley visited all 3 countries in this period. The principle of streamlining is discussed in some detail and the input of Frederick Johansen at the National Physical Laboratory in Teddington is deemed vital in this area of the design. There are many references to the influence of Bert Spencer, Gresley’s trusted right hand man, and he gets a lot of credit for his input.

As well as the A4 itself, full details are also given of the design and construction of the new style of carriages introduced for the ‘Silver Jubilee’. Mention is also made of the other 2 streamline services the ‘Coronation’ and the ‘West Riding Ltd’. The world speed record set by Mallard in July 1938 is also covered in some detail. There is also coverage of the everyday use of the A4’s in general service.

Having done a lot of research myself for my article on the Silver Jubilee (Journal 63 and 64) I wondered whether there would be much new information in this book, and I am pleased to say there certainly is. There are several extracts from papers delivered to the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and the Institution of Locomotive Engineers, some by Gresley himself and others by Wagner and Spencer. There is also far more detail of what was being done in other countries than I had been able to find.

The book is profusely illustrated with over 450 images and includes a 16 page section of colour. Many of the images will be familiar but there are also a lot of previously unpublished items. The author’s uncle Ronald Hillier witnessed the trial run of the Silver Jubilee and there are a number of photographs taken either by him or from his collection that are certainly new to me.

All in all a very impressive volume that would sit well on the bookshelf of any LNER enthusiast, especially those interested in the streamline era.

Highly recommended.

LNER Society