History of the LNER v. 3: The Last Years 1939-48 Michael R Bonavia

Last Updated on April 23, 2026

History of the LNER v. 3: The Last Years 1939-48 Michael R Bonavia

Among the ‘Big Four’ railway companies, none had to fight as hard as the LNER throughout its existence. Nevertheless, by 1939 it had raised the level of rail travel to new standards of speed and comfort, only to be denied the fruits of its efforts by the outbreak of war. Hostilities brought not only greater demands – evacuees to be transported out of London, troops to be moved around the country for the purposes of training or national defence _ but shrunken resources, the difficulties of operating under black-out conditions and the danger of frequent bombing attacks.

When peace came, the LNER had to prepare for a new battle, this time against the pressure for nationalisation. It was a battle which could not be won, but the LNER was in the forefront of the fight for fair compensation for the railway companies. Since all this took place at the same time as serious consideration was being given to the revolutionary proposal to abandon steam in favour of diesel-electric traction on the East Coast Main Line, it will be seen that for the LNER, 1939-48 were eventful years indeed.

Michael Bonavia does full justice to the stirring story of the LNER during this period, and brings to it the insights of one who was a senior officer of the Company at the time.

Since he retired from British Rail in 1974, Michael Bonavia has established an enviable reputation as a railway historian, and the first two volumes of his HISTORY OF THE LNER have been given a warm welcome. This final instalment rounds off a significant and valuable contribution to railway history.

This book was previously for sale at Margot’s Books. The shop is now closed — this post is kept as an archive record only.