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The ShipCraft series provides in-depth information about building and modifying model kits of famous warship types. Lavishly illustrated, each book takes the modeller through a brief history of the subject class, highlighting differences between sister-ships and changes in their appearance over their careers. This includes paint schemes and camouflage, featuring colour profiles and highly detailed line drawings and scale plans. The modelling section reviews the strengths and weaknesses of available kits, lists commercial accessory sets for super-detailing of the ships, and provides hints on modifying and improving the basic kit. This is followed by an extensive photographic survey of selected high-quality models in a variety of scales, and the book concludes with a section on research references - books, monographs, large-scale plans and relevant websites. This volume covers the five ships of the highly successful Queen Elizabeth class, a design of fast battleship that set the benchmark for the last generation of dreadnoughts. Since its first publication in 2010 this popular class has been the subject of many new kit releases and these, and related accessories, are covered in depth in this revised edition. LES BROWN is a leading light in the Small Warships Group of the IPMS and the editor of their newsletter. He is the author of a number of titles in the ShipCraft series, including two on British light cruisers, and, with John Lambert, he produced two larger works, one on 'Flower' class corvettes and another on Allied torpedo boats. He also wrote the volume on Black Swan Class Sloops in Seaforth's 'Original Builders' Plans' series.

There's no such thing as a quiet year in video games, and 2024 has been no different. For players, a steady stream of high-profile game releases has meant there's always been something new to play regardless of what console, handheld, PC or mobile device they were using. Meanwhile, behind the scenes 2024 has been one of the most turbulent years in the history of the games industry, with widespread job losses, studio cuts, acquisitions and other controversies. Video Games Chronicle, the expert source for video game news, has covered 2024's goings-on every step of the way, and this book summarises the entire year in one handy volume. Designed like an old-school games magazine, this book presents the VGC website's best coverage of 2024 in a more traditional format. Our News section takes you through all the major stories that took place throughout the year, allowing you to relive every moment (for better or worse). Our Reviews section contains every notable VGC game review from 2024, 'remastered' and presented to you in physical form (we're big on preservation, you see). Our Features section offers some of our best long-form articles from the past year. Finally, our Previews section takes a look at some of the games coming in 2025. The world of online games media is a fast-moving one, and news and reviews usually arrive at breakneck speed then disappear from our consciousness to be replaced with the latest stories. With this book, we hope to provide a more permanent summary of the year, while also harking back to the days of the games magazines we loved so much.

From the start of the war on the Eastern Front, Hitler's Ostheer, his Eastern Army, would wage a vernichtungskrieg, or war of annihilation, in the East. Never before had such a wide-reaching campaign been fought. Preparations for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union had included the drawing up of plans and allocation of resources to secure the newly conquered territories. These plans included the premeditated murder of many innocent civilians. Adolf Hitler said as much when in July 1941, shortly after Stalin ordered the formation of partisans, he told his Army High Command: 'This partisan war has some advantage for us; it enables us to eradicate everyone who opposes us.'Anticipating resistance to Nazi occupation and rule, Hitler instructed the Ostheer to act ruthlessly, not only on the front lines but in the rear areas as well. When, in July 1941, Stalin ordered partisan forces to be created, the stage was therefore set for the largest and most savage conflict ever waged between a modern military force and a guerrilla army. The scale of the partisan and anti-partisan war on the Eastern Front was as costly and bitterly fought as the struggle on the front lines themselves. Employing thousands of primary source documents and scouring eight separate state archives in six countries over a twenty-two-year period, Antonio J. Muñoz has produced what can be described as a definitive account of this part of the war behind the front lines in the East during the invasion of the Soviet Union. From the very beginning, the Nazis fought this war ruthlessly, by eliminating not only actual guerrillas, but a good portion of the civilian population. Employing dozens of wartime anti-partisan operational instructions, plus newly-created detailed battle maps and full orders of battle, Dr. Muñoz brings this little-known conflict behind the lines into focus for the very first time. The war behind the lines is detailed by district. This includes the Reichskommissariat Ostland region, which comprised the Generalbezirk Estland (Estonia), Generalbezirk Lettland (Latvia), Generalbezirk Litauen (Lithuania), Generalbezirk Bialystok (Northeastern Poland), and Generalbezirk Weißruthenien (Belarus). The book also covers the guerrilla and anti-partisan war in the Reichskommissariat Ukraine (Ukraine region) as well as in north, central and southern Russia. For Russia proper, anti-partisan operations against the guerrillas are broken down by army group area. Not only are the operations described, but the reader will also learn about guerrilla attacks and how the entire partisan movement grew from year to year, and region to region. Hitler's War Against the Partisans During Operation Barbarossa documents the whole of the beginning of the savage partisan war between June 1941 and the spring of 1942. Never before has every major, and some minor, anti-guerrilla operation been described in such detail.

London's Royal Parks are among its most beautiful and beloved spaces: just as much as the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace or St Pancras Station, the mere mention of Hyde Park or Greenwich Park is enough to evoke the capital in all its glory for residents and tourists alike. They have a magnificent history - some were royally owned as far back as the Norman conquest, others were acquired by Henry VIII during the Reformation and were great hunting grounds for successive monarchs - and since being opened to the public, they have hosted some of London's great events, including the Great Exhibition in Hyde Park and innumerable jubilees, international games and competitions and celebrations. Today, the Royal Parks are visited by over 77 million visitors. But what are the ingredients of these magnificent green spaces? We often think of wider landscapes of trees, grass, lakes, meandering footways, bedding displays and herbaceous borders. But the Royal Parks are much more than this. Defined as 'parkitecture', we find royal palaces, stately homes, villas, monuments, memorials, statues of national figures and war heroes, public art, often controversial yet inspiring, sculpture, bandstands, gates and railings of exquisite designs, fountains, refreshments rooms, lodges and pavilions, bridges and boathouses. Each of the Royal Parks is defined by its 'parkitecture', from the formality of Regent's and St James's Parks to the rurality of Bushy and Richmond Parks. This new book is a long overdue complete celebration of the many buildings and monuments of London's Royal Parks with over 250 beautiful illustrations.

Before the rise of Rome, the Greeks and Carthaginians were, for centuries, the two most powerful nations of the Western Mediterranean. From the Pillars of Hercules to Sicily and Cyrenaica, the Greeks and the Carthaginians founded cities, created trade routes, interacted with each other as competitors and collaborators, and often went to war. However, the long conflict between the Western Greeks and the Carthaginians has been neglected by modern historians, even though the wars between them are definitely among the greatest, longest, and most dramatic clashes of great powers in history when it comes to the historical breadth and the forces involved. Sotirios Drokalos gives these epic events the attention they deserve. The competition and conflicts between Greeks and Phoenicians in the West began by the time of the first colonizations during the eighth century BCE and the development of the cultural and economic activity of the two cultures. They intensified after the Greek colonies' consolidation and Carthage's rise as the most significant Phoenician city and a commercial empire during the sixth century BCE. Especially from the beginning of the fifth century BCE and for the next roughly 200 years, the Western Mediterranean was the field of a ruthless bipolar confrontation between the Greeks of the West and the Carthaginians, marked by the actions of remarkable personalities of the ancient world. This historical clash, apart from the vast and bloody battles, the invasions of one side by the other, the sieges and the mass slaughters, also included elements of cultural interaction and exchange, consisting essentially of a practical test of constitutions, social systems, and political views. Under this prism, studying that tumultuous era could be necessary today to better understand Mediterranean and European historical evolution.

Anyone familiar with WWII studies in the Pacific will recognize the name Eugene B. Sledge. The author, who corresponded with Sledge 30 years ago, shared the experience of serving on Peleliu in the Palau Islands. Sledge was part of the 1st Marine Division, which led the assault. Within six weeks, the division was decimated, suffering 60% casualties. The 81st Infantry Division was then deployed to secure the island, followed by the 111st Infantry for cleanup operations. This memoir comes from a 111st Infantry member, drawing from the author's diary and letters home. Thobaben's narrative starts on November 8, 1943, as he embarked on a troop ship to Hawaii, joining the Central Pacific Campaigns in the Gilbert and Marshall Islands as part of the 3rd Battalion's medical headquarters team. In addition to recounting his own experiences, Thobaben has conducted interviews with servicemen and women from the Army, Navy, Marine, and Air Corps over the years. His work encompasses a diverse range of perspectives to provide a comprehensive view of combat life in the Pacific during WWII, some of which are featured in this unique account.

The action-packed flying career of aeronaut Charles Green (1785-1870), a working-class Londoner in the infancy of aviation, who defied death in a career of 35 years and over 500 balloon flights to make a unique contribution to world aeronautical history. His decision, in 1821, to use domestic coal-gas to inflate balloons ran completely contrary to perceived wisdom, but his success in doing so revolutionised flying for the remainder of the Georgian and Victorian eras. His innovation set the direction of aeronautics for the next 80 years - until the Wright brothers changed its course again. Inventor, innovative balloon constructor, shrewd businessman, flamboyant showman and a skilled and courageous pilot, he was the first to put into practice the concept of public air travel. Charles liked a 'tipple' in the air - but never compromised safety - and made sure his passengers enjoyed his in-flight champagne hospitality. This earned him not only the status of a national treasure - whose very name was a by-word for all things aeronautic - but also ensured he became an international legend in his own lifetime.

The first of two volumes, Monty's Normandy Hammer traces the major operations fought by Lieutenant-General Guy Simonds' II Canadian Corps in July 1944. Thrust into the epicentre of the action on the eastern flank, II Canadian Corps planned and executed two major operations to expand Second British Army's elbow room in the bridgehead even while holding the panzer divisions of the vaunted I SS Panzer Corps in place near Caen. Operation ATLANTIC, tied in with Operation GOODWOOD, completed the clearance of Caen and established bridgeheads over the Orne. Operation SPRING was a great holding attack to support Montgomery's main effort of the entire campaign, the breakout launched by the Americans codenamed COBRA. Rickard goes into exceptional detail and paints a fresh picture of Simonds as a corps commander and his role in achieving Montgomery's army group strategy. Monty' Normandy Hammer is an insightful study of command at various levels. The follow-on volume will trace the fortunes of II Canadian Corps in the climatic battles in August.

Ireland is an extraordinarily beautiful island from which millions can claim their direct ancestry. But Ireland is also an island which has experienced some truly extraordinary moments of crisis which will have directly impacted our forebears, helping to shape us into the individuals that we are today. Whenever such crises happened, whether on a national scale or within the home, there was invariably somebody standing close to hand with a quill and parchment to document the misfortunes that befell so many. In this latest book, family historian Chris Paton takes a look at some of the darkest episodes of Irish history over the last four hundred years, as well as the everyday crises that affected everyone throughout their lives. He will discuss the impact of many major events on our ancestors, including colonisation, conquest and rebellion, as well as the various pressures endured from within the family, the church, and the state. Along the way Chris highlights the records that can help us to show the various trials and tribulations faced by our ancestors, which can help to vividly bring our family histories to life, including those available both online and within Ireland's many local and national archives.

When 20-year old RAF recruit Neville Cox, or 'Cocky', joins up in 1946, he is dismayed that the end of the war means he will never get to fly. Instead, he will be doing more of the technical drawing he is trained for. On a mission to a former Nazi-supported laboratory in Austria, he meets pilot and scientific intelligence expert Eric Ackermann, forming a friendship that lasts for years. They encounter Russians who are, like them, combing out 'scientific institutes' in a search for remnants and instruments connected with the V2; the 'wonder weapon' that devastated London in the Blitz. Shockingly, Cocky is abducted from an airfield on his return from a trip to the UK and taken to Gorodomlya Island, where German rocket scientists have been supporting Soviet efforts to recreate and develop the V2 rocket. Utilising the expertise of their captives on the island and in several other 'design bureaus' around Moscow, the Soviets aim is a powerful rocket with a nuclear warhead, four times more deadly than the atomic bomb the Americans dropped on Hiroshima. When a colleague is 'disappeared' to a remote closed city for using a self-made radio to pass on technical secrets, Cocky is convinced he will be next. An opportunity to escape arises through a visiting string quartet, but his eventual escape is not the planned diplomatic intervention, but a risky and hair-raising effort to outwit the KGB. Following a career in signals intelligence, Cocky struggles to adjust to civilian life, and to having a civilian wife. Three children and ten years later, he escapes again with a new partner, this time to Nova Scotia in Canada, where he still lives to this day.

In 1942, following a decisive British victory at the Second Battle of El Alamein, the sands of fortune were shifting against German forces in the Sahara. Field Marshal Erwin Rommel's inexorable advance toward Cairo was thwarted. Church bells pealed in embattled England for the first time since the start of World War II as Winston Churchill hailed the "end of the beginning." But the elusive Desert Fox was a master of mobility. Even as the sun set on his desert glory, he was far from finished. British Gen. Bernard Montgomery, victor of El Alamein, was at then the highest point of his career. He had overcome many adversities to meet his moment of military destiny, galvanized a flagging army and smashed the proud German troops with a blow he would be proud of for the rest of his life. But Monty found his own fortunes changing as he pursued the Desert Fox. Hamstrung by a distended supply line, Monty was now vulnerable to attack by the vengeful Rommel. The British troops, flush with victory, grew fearful as they approached an eerie dune wasteland in Libya known as El Agheila. One setback would be enough to cast their laurels into the dust and shatter their faith in their rising commander. Both generals faced each other with uncertainty as another fight loomed on the horizon. One false move could have far-reaching political consequences. The outcome of the battle would answer a critical question: who would hold the gateway to Egypt?This compelling book tells the story of Monty and Rommel battling in North Africa as never before, describing them as two very different commanders and shedding light on the dissimilar characteristics that made them formidable fighters. It argues that Monty was more aggressive than many historians give him credit for and that Rommel had more of a conscience than is often attributed to him, examining the origins of his disloyalty to Hitler. This riveting read draws attention to a little-known battle with great implications on the course of World War II history, also describing the powerful external forces of politics, media coverage and the desert itself that swirled around two famous generals forced to duel on uneven footing.

A variety of factors surround military firearms - they needed to be produced in large numbers to a standardised pattern at an affordable price. This book examines the transition from traditional hand-craft methods to the beginnings of mechanised manufacture using as examples the French Model 1777 and the Russian Model 1808 infantry muskets. A number of factors led to this choice. The French Model 1777 musket, designed by Honoré Blanc working under General Gribeauval, contained many novel features which became blueprints for the arms of numerous countries and was copied in its entirety by Russia. Another factor is that they are the only firearms whose manufacture is covered in contemporary accounts. A third factor is that they provide contrasts in their methods of manufacture; the French 1777 musket was largely produced by hand-craft methods, whereas in Russia we see the beginnings of extensive mechanisation in the early 19th century. Another important aspect which appears is 'interchangeability' - the ability to exchange identical parts of identical mechanism without 'special adjustment'. This is a vital factor at the foundation of modern manufacturing and first appears in early 18th century France, was pursued again by Blanc in 1777 and was picked up in Russia. For the first time, all these 'technologies' are examined, explained, compared and contrasted in extensive detail.

In October 1943, Frederick Bailey, a wireless operator who had trained with the Royal Armoured Corps, was selected for Special Operation Executive's wireless training centre at Fawley Court, Henley-on-Thames. It was the start of an incredible wartime career that saw Fred serve behind enemy lines in both the European and Far East theatres. With his training complete, and having adopted the fieldname Rétif, Sergeant Bailey became a member of one of the famous Jedburgh units, Team Citröen. The Jedburghs generally consisted of compact teams of three men, usually an officer, a radio operator and a soldier from the country the team was to be dropped into. Together with Major John Smallwood and Captain Pierre Bloch, a French Foreign Legionnaire, Bailey, as Team Citröen's radio operator, was dropped in into the Lagarde area of the Vaucluse region in German-occupied France by an American aircrew from Algiers during the night of 11/12 August 1944. Their mission was to support the local Resistance groups in the rear of the German units trying to hold back the Allied forces sweeping through France after D-Day. As Maxine Harcourt-Kelly reveals, the fear of Bailey's transmissions being intercepted by the Germans, as well as the constant danger of their location being revealed by informers, meant that Team Citröen was constantly on the move. Despite this, on one occasion the group knocked out an enemy tank with the help of an intrepid young Frenchman, who ran up to it armed only with a grenade and dropped it through the driver's viewing hatch. One morning, Bailey learnt that a large German convoy was moving along the road from Grenoble to Lyon. He sent a coded message to HQ in Algiers asking for an immediate air strike. A series of Mosquito fighter bombers attacked and destroyed the whole convoy. Fred also caused major disruption to German attempts to withdraw by calling in air support which destroyed a vital bridge. Fred was Mentioned in Despatches and awarded the Croix de Guerre with Bronze Star by the French. With his war in Europe over, Fed volunteered to serve with SOE's Force 136 in the Far East. He was duly sent out to Burma where he was dispatched into the Keren Hills to monitor the routes being used by the retreating Japanese. Fred was able to send regular reports on enemy troop movements and direct Allied air strikes. On one occasion, they ambushed a Japanese convoy. A fierce firefight developed, but they slipped back into the jungle before the Japanese could counter-attack. These attacks were so disruptive that the Japanese were forced to form a special force to hunt Fred's team down. As they could not be resupplied, Fred's team grew weaker. Before long, with nothing to eat but a handful of rice each day, the team was beginning to starve. It was left with no option but to evacuate. Even then, Fred's adventures were far from over. In August 1945, he was dropped into Malaya tasked with finding any American aircrew who had been shot down and taken prisoner south of Kuala Lumpur. This is the action-packed story of one man's remarkable war serving in Allied Special Forces units behind enemy lines in both Occupied Europe and the Far East.

This, the second book by Jeremy Dixon on the subject, is a study of those German officers who were promoted to the rank of general and who were also awarded the Knight's Cross during the period of the fighting in Russia between Hitler's assault upon the Soviet Union, Operation Barbarossa, and the complete destruction of the German 6th Army at Stalingrad. The Germans lost 500,000 soldiers during the Stalingrad campaign, some 91,000 of whom were taken prisoner - a number which included 2,000 officers, twenty-three generals and one Generalfeldmarschall, Friedrich Paulus.There were 149 officers who later held the rank of general who were awarded the Knight's Cross for their actions on the Eastern Front between 6 December 1941 and 2 February 1943. One such recipient was Maximilian Fretter-Pico, who, as Generalmajor and Commander of the 97th Infantry Division, was awarded the Knight's Cross on 26 December 1941. He was later promoted to Generalleutnant and in June 1942 was Commander of the Army Detachment Fretter-Pico, with the rank of General der Artillerie. He was awarded the Knight's Cross with Oakleaves as Commanding General of the XXX Army Corps, for actions in the Don and Donez area, on 16 January 1944. He was personally presented personally with the award at the Obersalzburg by Hitler.Dietrich von Saucken was awarded the Knight's Cross with Oakleaves and Swords for his bravery and leadership whilst commanding the 4th Panzer Division on the Russian Front. On 8 May 1945 he was awarded the Knight's Cross with Oakleaves, Swords and Diamonds as General der Panzertruppe and Commander-in-Chief of Army Headquarters East Prussia and presented by Hitler's successor Grossadmiral Karl Dönitz. Saucken was later captured by the Soviets who flew him to Moscow for interrogation and he was later sentenced to twenty-five years imprisonment.The youngest general in the German Army to be awarded the Knight's Cross with Oakleaves and Swords on 23 January 1944 was Erich Bärenfänger, who was only 29 years old at the time. His award was presented personally by Hitler at his headquarters, the Wolf's Lair, in Rastenburg. At the time he held the rank of Major and was promoted to Oberstleutnant in February 1944 and was promoted to Generalmajor on 28 April 1945, and named as Battle Commandant of Sector A and Sector B of the Berlin Defensive District. He committed suicide together with his wife in Berlin with Soviet forces fast approaching just four days later.With each individual's entry there is a detailed description of how and where the Knight's Cross was won and in the case of the higher awards, such as the Oakleaves, Swords and Diamonds, who presented the award, where and when. This study provides details of their rank and command at the time of the award as well as also detailing their career during the war and after, with investigations into their fate and post-war life. The book is completed with a considerable number of photographs of many of these officers.

Since nearly every aspect of Keaton's story and work has been written about in some form, it is the goal of this book to present a new perspective on Keaton's early life in the entertainment business, beginning before vaudeville and moving through the Comique films, Keaton's first foray into the industry. A microscopic approach to this early period has the goal of illuminating in great detail the formative years of Keaton's career, in order to better understand the brilliance of his 'independence' and the tragedy of his years at MGM, bringing him to a place in entertainment history that celebrates the little gems and sparks of brilliance in his later creative life and career. This study will utilize the minute detail provided by industry rags, such as The New York Clipper and The Moving Picture World and the publication of rare archival photos to differentiate itself from other works by delving deeper into each moment during the specified twenty-four early years of Keaton's life and career, up to and including the transition to his 'independent' productions with Joseph Schenk, beginning with The High Sign (1920), The Saphead (1920) and One Week (1920), his first efforts in the new era.

Scotland's history is dramatic, violent and bloody. Being England's northern neighbour has never been easy. Scotland's queens have had to deal with war, murder, imprisonment, political rivalries and open betrayal. They have loved and lost, raised kings and queens, ruled and died for Scotland. From St Margaret, who became one of the patron saints of Scotland, to Elizabeth de Burgh and the dramatic story of the Scottish Wars of Independence, to the love story and tragedy of Joan Beaufort, to Margaret of Denmark and the dawn of the Renaissance, Scotland's Medieval Queens have seen it all. This is the story of Scotland through their eyes.

Following on from Andrew's A Visual History of Caravans, this new title takes a look at the motorhome's heritage, spanning over 100 years. The motorhome is a popular leisure vehicle with an ever-growing demand in the UK as well as abroad. From the early designs often built by one-man bands, this book shows how the motorhome was to evolve in the 1920s but was to be outsold by the popularity of the touring caravan. Images from all decades are mainly from the author's own vast archives, while some have been loaned and supplied from motorhome industry personnel. These pictures demonstrate how the motorhome developed with the advent of smaller chassis cabs from the 1950s major manufacturers such as Bedford, Austin, Morris and Ford. Covering UK-brand motorhomes as well imported models, the book shows how different UK tastes were to the imported makes. Although not an A-Z of motorhomes book, the author has chosen images that represent as many manufacturers as possible. Andrew includes some rare images of coachbuilt motorhomes and shows how the motorhome boom began in the mid-1960s. With the further development of chassis cab designs in the 70s with brands such as Commer, Toyota and Leyland more manufacturers of motorhomes would emerge as the boom carried on. Caravan's International motorised division was re-named Autohomes, and became the biggest UK manufacturer of coachbuilt motorhomes, going on to also be built in Germany. Well-known maker Dormobile concentrated on campervans, though several coachbuilt motorhomes such as the classic-looking Debonair were produced. From those early days, A Visual History of Motorhomes will make interesting reading to motorhome users, showing how the leisure vehicle took shape.

One of the most diverse, complex and thus most interesting railway routes in the land. It set out as part of Brunel's Great Western Railway plan to cover the country in Broad Gauge tracks but, faced with competition from its great rival, the London and North Western Railway, the Broad Gauge never got beyond Wolverhampton and eventually succumbed to the four feet, eight and a half inches proponents. However, by then the GWR had established itself as the principal provider of passenger and freight trains between London and Birkenhead, on the west bank of the Mersey, facing, and on occasions, snarling at, the LNWR opposite. Its most powerful locomotives, the Kings, powered its expresses from 1927 until the end of steam as far as Birmingham and Wolverhampton, whilst Stanier Pacifics worked those between Euston and Liverpool Lime Street. The route passes through the manicured fields and hunting country of the Chilterns, then plunges into that was once the deeply industrial, polluted but still productive Black Country, before emerging into Shropshire, now essentially rural but where the Industrial Revolution may be said to have originated. As the line approaches the important junction of picturesque Shrewsbury, possessor of a station built out over the River Severn and the largest traditionally worked signal box in the world, the Welsh mountains appear on the western horizon. The line then enters the Principality before returning to England at Chester, and the final stretch, along the banks of the Mersey, to journey's end.

The objective of this book is to share the pleasures provided by miniature railways of all sizes and encourage anyone wanting to build an engine or railway to 'have a go'. The book describes how the author embarked on such projects with great enthusiasm and passion, but with little knowledge. It confirms that 'where there is a will, there is a way' and knowledge will follow. The author found himself on a 'voyage of discovery', supported by joining clubs, talking to people, asking questions and then simply 'having a go'. You don't need to be an engineer to make a start and many outstanding engines and railways have been built by people from all walks of life. How to choose the most appropriate design and what equipment will be required to succeed is discussed. Steps are presented for building a steam locomotive, an electric locomotive, rolling stock and finally track, all illustrated by photographs and drawings to inform, guide, and encourage. It reviews some published steam locomotive designs and shows how they can be modified to perform better, using modern analytical techniques. Operating a miniature passenger hauling railway is great fun. Lessons learned are shared through all the activities in the book. Everything can be achieved by enthusiasm, a willingness to learn and a commitment to overcome challenges. Have a read, join a club, cut metal and embark on your own 'voyage of discovery'!And remember -- Engineering is a great and exciting profession!

The Real Charles Dickens is an insightful look into the world of the life and work of the great 19th-century writer. Dickens led one of the most colourful and interesting lives of any author and this book delves into his difficult early life, his emergence as a major novelist, his troubled marriage and suspected relationship with another woman, his trips abroad to Italy and the United States, his late blossoming as a theatrical performer and his work as a social reformer. The book takes a detailed look at each of his major works, tracing the development of his fiction through one of the most productive periods of world literature. To complement this are original photographs of locations associated with Dickens and the opportunity to follow in his footsteps with some expertly crafted walks around the parts of London most associated with him. There are sections on Dickens' enduring relationship with the theatre and one detailing the ten children that he and his wife Catherine had together. From his first foray into serialised novels, The Pickwick Papers, to his last, great, unfinished work, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, each of his books is given special attention.  Full of biographical detail and analytical insight, The Real Charles Dickens takes the reader on a journey into the heart of the world that nurtured some of the greatest stories ever written.

In the early hours of 14th June 2017, a fire began in a kitchen on the fourth floor of a twenty-four-storey block of flats in West London. A fire that should have been contained within the original compartment ripped up the outside of the building within minutes. Procedures and systems that had worked for decades failed resulting in the loss of seventy-two lives. Yet this was not the first time a breakdown of compartmentation had caused a loss of life. Just eight years earlier, a fire at Lakanal House in South London had claimed the lives of six people. How then could this happen again? Nor was it just one failure as panels, inadequate fire-stopping, construction of the windows, failure of fire doors and the smoke ventilation system all contributed to the rapid fire spread. This book gives a firefighter's perspective of the deregulation that caused the tragedy and describes what firefighters were confronted with that June night in 2017. It places that deregulation chronologically alongside a career that spanned three decades including nine years in the training department of the London Fire Brigade. It proposes the causes are far deeper and wider than many think. A systemic deterioration of standards in testing of materials, building control, maintenance, inspections, fire safety and enforcement.

This is an original interpretation of domestic patriotism and limitations of wartime mobilization in rural and urban communities of the British Home Front at a local level from 1914-1918. It is a critical examination of the wartime role of the local elite as 'superintendents of patriotism'. The reader is immediately drawn into the riveting human and social interest with an account of 'khaki fever' leading to 'moral panic' resulting from the attraction of military uniforms and a perceived need for elite guidance and control while expanding mobilisation. Author is a local writer and commentator, with rare local sources with national relevance, he defines the local elite groups as 'provincial patriots', a hugely patriotic class who compared their patriotism with that of the local populace. They were the elite 'police-men and women' of patriotism and who tried to enforce their concept of patriotism and code of ideal conduct in wartime on the local population and to further mobilisation. They served on tribunals set to deal with appeals against enlistment following conscription, and elite pressure could be decisive. These attempts to mobilise for military service met with limited success and 'humanitarian' mobilisation in the of philanthropy was widespread. The essential national role for agriculture and fishing - very much part of Devon and most of the country - continued as essential and the military contribution continued. The book uses Devon as a case study but reaches out to the whole United Kingdom in total war and with similar examples in Europe, notably France and Germany. It shows the tensions between elites - landed gentry and urban professionals - and the local populations, rural (mostly) and urban. The 'provincial patriots', if not their families, were above military service age. The study analyses orthodox views about mobilization, dissent, and domestic patriotism on the Home Front in the First World War and roles of local elites. There was, no doubt, flocking to the colours, but also resistance and alternative forms of patriotic contribution.

For six seasons, royal watchers across the globe have been hooked on Netflix's smash-hit factual drama, The Crown. Over sixty episodes, multiple casts and headline-grabbing storylines, The Crown has promised to throw open the closed doors of Britain's palaces to reveal the deepest secrets of the House of Windsor. From the last days of George VI to the accession of Queen Elizabeth II and into the twenty-first century, it has told the story of the monarchy in an ever-changing and turbulent world. The Royal Family vs 'The Crown' turns the spotlight on the glittering Netflix series and lays bare what's fact and what is very definitely fiction. Season by season, episode by episode, The Royal Family vs 'The Crown' digs deep into history to examine the plots, the trivia and the characters who have stepped out of the throne room and into the living room, telling the real stories behind the drama that has thrilled and scandalised audiences worldwide. From the abdication of a king to Princess Diana's infamous Panorama interview, the marriage of Charles and Camilla and everything in between, this is your indispensable guide to the true stories behind the streaming phenomenon.