London Transport Since 1963 (1997) – Michael H. C. Baker

Ian Allan • ISBN 9780711024816 • Condition: Good

From swinging-sixties Routemasters to the slightly-less-swinging privatisation years, Michael H. C. Baker takes a joyride through the capital’s buses, tubes, depots and grand plans that almost happened (and a few that really shouldn’t have). It’s a brisk, affectionate tour of London Transport after 1963—the era of moquette experiments, concrete optimism, and timetables that presumed everyone could read a schematic map at twenty paces.

Expect Routemasters refusing to retire gracefully, Underground lines discovering corporate liveries, and a supporting cast of trolleybus ghosts, experimental one-man operations, and station architecture that looks suspiciously like it was designed during a lunch hour. Baker’s eye for detail and gentle mischief makes this far more than a parade of fleet numbers; it’s the story of how a world city tried to keep itself moving without losing its manners (or its roundel).

You’ll find:

• Buses in new clothes and old attitudes.

• Tube lines stretching, sulking, and occasionally striking heroic poses.

• The long road to travelcards, zones, and the idea that “interchange” is a nice day out.

• Photos and facts for spotters, nostalgists, planners, and anyone who knows the correct pronunciation of “Marylebone.”

Our copy is in Good condition: clean, complete, and ready for another commute through history. Light, honest shelfwear here and there—nothing that will derail your journey. Perfect for bedside reading, desk-reference consulting, or aggressive tutting at modern transport policy.

Buy it from Crappy Old Books, where the paper smells faintly of yesterday’s platform and the past always runs to time.

Keep browsing: See more Transport books Other books by Michael HC Baker