Lines of Power: The Electrification of British Railways. Trials, Tribulations and Triumphs

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John Buxton, BSc CEng MICE FPWI Donald Heath

Lines of Power

The Electrification of British Railways. Trials, Tribulations and Triumphs

John Buxton, BSc CEng MICE FPWI, Donald Heath

$83.99

Hardback

Forthcoming
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English

Unicorn Publishing Group
29 May 2025

Transport planning & policy; Trains & railways: general interest; Nostalgia: general

Written by John Buxton and Don Heath, two experienced rail professionals, Lines of Power delivers a comprehensive record of the stuttering progress of electrification and modernisation of Britain’s railway network, exposing the furtive manoeuvring by competing factions within the railway industry during the 1950s.

The book is highly critical of the excessive scepticism of the Department of Transport (DoT later DfT) and the frequent disproportionate, and often imprudent, interventions by politicians that have collectively thwarted the opportunity to progress a more comprehensive and cost effective ‘rolling programme’ of electrification.

By: John Buxton BSc CEng MICE FPWI, Donald Heath
Imprint: Unicorn Publishing Group
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 234mm, Width: 156mm,
ISBN: 9781917458108
ISBN 10: 191745810X
Pages: 328
Publication Date: 29 May 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

John Buxton headed up an Engineering Division of British Railways and was Managing Director of Cardiff Railway Company. John set up Cambrian Transport in 1995 specialising in rail infrastructure, traction and electrification projects. He has worked extensively in the UK and in Ireland, Canada and the Middle East, including Metro schemes in Toronto, Doha and Riyadh. Don Heath has held senior positions in British Railways Research Department, the London Midland region, Transmark in 1976 to work on the design of a new line in Iran. In 1982 he became a founder member of the Major Projects Department (appointed a Director in 1988) from where he successfully led the electrification of the East Coast Main Line. In 1991 he took charge of the BR input into the joint LUL/BR CrossRail project team. He became an independent consultant at privatisation, and clients included Chiltern Railways, Virgin West Coast and Network Rail. He retired in 2017.