Winds of Change 1973, 2010

Winds of Change ‘73 was the first of five books charting the demise of the Western fleet from 1973 to 1977. Seen through the eyes of the writer and the events of the years concerned, Winds of Change focuses on the first withdrawals of the Western fleet, beginning with D1032 Western Marksman in January 1973. The class were, along with the few remaining Hymek Class 35s, the last survivors of the great diesel hydraulic era on Britain’s railways. But the year marked the beginning of the end for the Westerns as the first inroads into the 74-strong fleet were finally taken by the powers that be. For the enthusiast, it sparked the race to record and ride behind as many of the class as possible in the time remaining. Early suggestions put their total withdrawal as early as 1975 but a reprieve in 1974 saw the last 24 whittle down for the final summer in 1976. All the changes are charted in this and subsequent volumes which were again hailed as some of the best ever published about the fleet and testimony to the author’s research and writing skills.