A Journey in Preservation: 50 Years of the Western Locomotive Association

The story of how a small group of enthusiasts came together to save a ‘Western’ locomotive for preservation in the 1970s. The concept of diesel preservation was completely unheard of at the time. In the face of considerable adversity, the group found a way to break down the barriers to diesel preservation and set a path that many others have since been able to follow. But acquiring their ‘Western’ was only the beginning. From the early escapades and a turbulent few years in Devon, ‘A Journey in Preservation’ tells how the WLA subsequently settled at their home, the Severn Valley Railway, and developed into the well-respected and professional organisation that it is today. The book examines the herculean task of maintaining a ‘Western’ and goes behind the scenes at the Association, with contributions and recollections from many key Association members.