The North British Locomotive Company came into existence in 1903 as an
amalgamation of three established Glasgow locomotive manufacturers: Dübs
& Co., Sharp Stewart and Neilson Reid. Each of these companies enjoyed
an excellent reputation for its products both at home and abroad. The
amalgamation that formed NBL created the largest locomotive builder in
the British Empire, building on the worldwide renown of its predecessors
and exporting its products all over the world to places as diverse as
Palestine, New Zealand, South Africa and Canada. Its locomotive output
was as varied as its clients, with steam locomotives of every gauge, and
ranging from tiny tank engines to massive Beyer-Garratts. Moving with
the times, North British entered the market for diesel and electric
traction after the Second World War and its lack of success in this
field ultimately brought the company to its knees. Here, Colin Alexander
and Alon Siton present a lavishly illustrated exploration of one of
Britain's greatest locomotive companies, including the products of its
three Victorian constituents and official works photographs, images of
locos in service and some of the many preserved Dübs, Sharp Stewart,
Neilson and North British locomotives on heritage railways and in
museums around the world.
