This book covers the design, construction, operation and performance of
Sir William Stanier's masterpiece, the Princess Coronation pacific
locomotives, better known as the 'Duchesses'. Included are pen portraits
of the LMS engineers, a chapter on the express locomotives of the early
LMS period that preceded their introduction and the internal rivalries
and politics that Stanier was brought in to resolve. Chapters and
photographs cover the streamline era, the war years and aftermath, the
early years of nationalization including the 1948 locomotive exchanges
and the recovery of performance in the mid-1950s. The author includes
some of his own experiences and photographs. The book includes 200
photographs including a few in color from the LMS era, and an appendix
with weight diagrams, and statistics of the locomotive construction and
withdrawal, names, liveries, allocations and mileages.