In the 1970s and 1980s, the history and heritage of Britain's railways were still plain to see - it was still recognisably the railway of steam locos, pick-up freight trains, isolated stations, parcels trains, semaphore signals and a timetable that hardly ever changed. The railway seemed old and tired; trains were often late, crowded and uncomfortable, and stations were often less than appealing. It had been constructed in a haphazard way in the previous century, when the railway was seen as the future. Despite this, there remained a dedicated community of enthusiasts who considered the railway to be a masterpiece and would capture it on film whenever possible.

These photographs, published here for the first time, illustrate perfectly why so many view the BR Blue period with such fondness.