New Zealand Railways At Night seeks to redress a void in our written history, covering the night railway as experienced in the period from the mid-1920s through to 1982 when the Government railway was corporatised, a period when many New Zealanders’ chose the railway as their principal form of transport. This was a time when most of the night travel was endured sitting upright on firm non-reclinable seats. Refreshment room stops caused a minor disruption in the darkened carriage as some travellers unable to sleep sought comfort in food, or simply stretched their legs on the platform, while others more fortunate slumbered on… It is occasions like that which images in the book evoke memories of. Converse to the night railway view by the travelling public, featured also is the night railway endured by the railway shift worker, exposing a life at work after dark. Images “in the dark” create a sense of mystique, as it is sometimes not just what is highlighted in the images, but equally what lurks in the darkened background. Considered by many as an “art book”, with 239 photographs, the majority presented full-size, this book is a visual treat.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 256

Dimensions: 285 x 215 mm

Publication Date: 13-05-2024

Get to know and take a ride with the eight-time world-champion. Being Marc Márquez lifts the curtain behind the iconic acronym MM93 and reveals what matters to the fastest man on two wheels both on the racetrack and in life. Whether it's friendship, fun, focus, loyalty, spirit, or family—in eight chapters, he allows readers to get an up-close look, opening his tinted visor to let us peak into his mind and all-out racing soul. This book shares the personal insights and credos of a tireless fighter and unapologetically optimistic family guy.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 224

Dimensions: 200 x 260 mm

Italy is the homeland of “La Bella Macchina” and the cradle of automotive culture. This book celebrates the most iconic cars and visionary designers from the peninsula. This stunningly illustrated book takes readers on a journey through the history of Italian automotive design, showcasing some of the most iconic and beloved models from the 1920s to the early 2000s. Delving deep into the craftsmanship and artistry of vintage automobiles, this book explores how Italian car design has been at the center of technology, culture, and creativity—and how Italian designers like Pininfarina, Zagato, Bertone, Giugiaro, Gandini, and Ghia have influenced international car designs and brands. With striking archival and contemporary images, Beautiful Machines: The Italians reveals the fascinating stories behind some of the most famous cars from Italy and what makes them so desirable. This book uses the lens of automotive design to chart the evolution of culture over the last 100 years. Beautiful Machines: The Italians is an impactful celebration of Italian car design and its lasting influence on design and culture.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 320

Dimensions: 300 x 270 mm

Publication Date: 30-09-2023

From author Jonathan Shingleton, who brought us Alpine Thunder, the renowned book on the KB class, Jonathan brings us a well-researched and interesting account of NZR’s rebuilt three-cylinder G class. In attempt to make something useful of the ill-fated Garratts, NZR used the chassis of the three Garratt articulated locomotives to build six conventional G class locomotives. In theory, these should have been very handy motive power for the South Island, but the engineering constrictions imposed by the loading gauge on the new design plus the inherent weaknesses transferred from the Garratt engine units to the rebuilt engines, all conspired to make them problematic and unreliable. Jonathan delves into the detail of how NZR attempted to correct the issues and improve the design, plus how the crews worked these unique three-cylinder engines. This is a fascinating read.

Bind: paperback

Pages: 142

Dimensions: 210 x 296 mm

Publication Date: 20-06-2023

Only book in English on the famed 1950s-era French jet airliner. The Sud Aviation S.E. 210 Caravelle was a 1950s-era French-built jet airliner named after the famed 15th-century caravela ships used during the Age of Exploration. Along with the British de Havilland Comet, on which it was partially based, the Caravelle was one of the earliest jet-powered passenger airliners. In April 1959, it became the world's first successful jet airliner to enter scheduled service, which it did with Scandinavian Air Lines System (SAS). The S.E. 210 remained in production until 1972 and eventually retired in 2005. With its unusual rear-mounted engines, it influenced such later jet airliner designs as the Douglas DC-9 and Tupolev Tu-134. The history of the Caravelle's design, development, and operational use is presented in detail in this book, as is its use by many of the world's most famous airlines of the era, including Air France, SAS, Swissair, Finnair, Royal Jordanian, Austrian Airlines (AUA), United, Indian Airlines, and VARIG. Technical specifications for the Caravelle and its variants, as well as period photographs, bring to life the fascinating history of this early, and influential, commercial jet airliner.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 144

Dimensions: 228 x 228 mm

Publication Date: 28-06-2023

With his hugely successful commercial aircraft, including the legendary DC-3, founder Donald W. Douglas led his company to the forefront of aircraft manufacturers starting in the 1930s. "Depend on Douglas" was the company motto, and the company founder stood behind it with his name. Between 1945 and 1960, the DC-4, DC-6, and DC-7 four-engine "Big Prop" models were flown by many of the world's most famous commercial airlines of the era, including Pan Am, United, American, Eastern, Delta, KLM, BOAC, Swissair, SAS, Air France, Alitalia, and Japan Air Lines. This is the history of the design, development, and operational use of the Douglas Big Props, including technical specifications and details of military variants. Period photographs bring to life the fascinating history of these early, and influential, commercial airliners, some of which still fly today.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 144

Dimensions: 228 x 228 mm

Publication Date: 28-05-2023

The year was 1941, and the flames of world war were threatening America's shores. President Franklin D. Roosevelt called for an "Arsenal of Democracy" and demanded fabrication of 50,000 warplanes per year. But first, sprawling new airplane factories were needed. Located in the heart of Columbus, Ohio, proved to be an ideal choice. The Columbus plant was home to a broad spectrum of fascinating aircraft. Curtiss-Wright moved in, and soon, thousands of SB2C Helldivers rolled out. The Korean War found North American Aviation (NAA) of Los Angeles as the new occupant. Advanced airplanes, many of them jets, were soon in high-rate production. Some, like the T-28 Trojan and T-2, were docile trainers. The Navy FJ Fury series augmented the dogfighting F-86 Sabre jets during the 1950s. The OV-10 Bronco was built rugged for close-in jungle combat during the Vietnam War. The supersonic Vigilante was a masterpiece of homegrown advanced technology. Production at Columbus ended in 1988 with major subassemblies for the Rockwell B-1B Lancer, a strategic bomber. This is the history of the Columbus plant from pouring concrete footings in 1941 until the plant was vacated in 1988.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 192

Dimensions: 215 x 279 mm

Publication Date: 28-06-2023

Featuring over 250 archival and new photos, detailed technical data, and first-person stories from passionate Honda mini-motorcycle devotees, this nostalgic and fun compendium presents the complete model history of Honda's legendary little motorbikes and discusses the unique culture surrounding them. These lightweight mini motorcycles trace their origin back to renowned Japanese engineer Soichiro Honda, who gleaned as much information as possible from European manufacturers before setting out to create something entirely new. Honda's original model, the C 100 Super Cub, became a global smash hit. Since its release in 1958, more than 100 million Honda Super Cub mini motorcycles have been produced, and it has become the bestselling motorised vehicle in history. Over the years, the Honda company continued to refine and develop its winning formula, following up with additional models, including the Monkey and the Dax. Inexpensive, stylish, and highly customizable, these tiny machines muscled their way into the world's consciousness, appealing to a variety of people -- young and old, motorcycle enthusiasts and novices alike -- who valued them for their sophisticated technology and high-quality construction and welcomed them into their lives for a wide range of purposes: transportation, sport, or just plain fun. So, hop on and enjoy a ride into the world of Honda's iconic mini motorcycles!

Bind: hardback

Pages: 192

Dimensions: 228 x 266 mm

Publication Date: 28-06-2023

SS United States was the flagship of the United States Lines and was representative of the apex of steam-engineering technology. Designed by William Francis Gibbs, the ship was designed to be both fast and safe, due to the use of new materials with an emphasis on being fireproof. This book chronicles the design, construction, and operation of the liner. Using many materials taken from the ship itself, the authors detail the intricate interplay of safely operating a 990-foot-long vessel, providing the finest cuisine, entertainment, and personal services as well as running an oceangoing hotel. The book is richly illustrated with many previously unpublished photographs. In addition, included are personnel lists, performance and engineering data, transcripts of ship's logs, and other documents that illustrate the massive undertaking and attention to detail that made this "America's Flagship".

Bind: hardback

Pages: 256

Dimensions: 215 x 279 mm

Publication Date: 28-06-2023

The PBY Catalina, designed and produced by Consolidated Aircraft, whose production was supplemented by that of Boeing Canada, Canadian Vickers, and the Naval Aircraft Factory, was the most widely used flying boat of all time. Developed in the 1930s, the famed patrol bomber was used around the world by the United States and its allies - the Soviets even produced hundreds of duplicates. The versatile aircraft sank U-boats, located the dreaded Bismarck, and rescued scores of downed airmen and crews of sunken ships. This volume explores the development and use of the aircraft, as well as details of its construction. This volume is profusely illustrated with almost 300 photos, many of which are in vintage color, augmented by line drawings.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 144

Dimensions: 228 x 228 mm

Publication Date: 28-04-2023