John Christopher: 313 books

In 1948, on the Isle of Anglesey, the first prototype Land Rover was put through its paces. It was a utilitarian four wheel-drive vehicle, designed for farmers, who could use it for a multitude of purposes. The vehicle, made to be simple and rugged, had an aluminium alloy body with a steel chassis....

This fascinating in-depth dossier is based on classified wartime reports issued by the US Military Intelligence Services, and examines the main weapon types – pistols, rifles, grenades, machine guns and mortars as well as anti-tank guns and infantry howitzers. The equipment of the German Army in...

Based on a confidential wartime British Government report, this in-depth dossier details the inner workings of Organisation Todt, which not only built the Reichsautobahns, but also Germany's Siegfried Line and the Atlantic Wall. Founded by the charismatic Fritz Todt, the OT was responsible for the...

Seventy-five years ago, on 1 September 1939, Germany invaded Poland. With political agreements in place to come to Poland’s aid, Britain and France both declared war on Germany within two days. It was the start of a conflict that would erupt over every continent and see the deaths of tens of millions...

Originally known as the Commercial Railway, the London & Blackwall was one of London's earliest and most distinctive lines. Stretching eastwards along a string of viaducts, it went from the City to Blackwall on the Thames. Worked by a rope haulage system initially, rather than conventional locomotives,...

Built as the London terminus of the London & Birmingham Railway in July 1837, Euston was London's first intercity railway station. Originally designed by Philip Hardwick, the station entrance was through the world's largest Doric propylaeum, which became known as the Euston Arch. In the 1840s...

This fourth volume of illustrated Bradshaw's Guides takes the traveller from the London Bridge and Victoria stations via the former South Eastern Railway to the 'watering places' of the coast of Kent. Along the way the train calls in at a number of locations including Greenwich, Woolwich, Gravesend,...

King's Cross station was the terminus of the Great Northern Railway and was opened in 1852. Designed by Lewis Cubitt, it replaced a temporary station at Maiden Lane. It established itself as the London terminus of what is now known as the East Coast Main Line to Edinburgh. From 1862, at 10 a.m. every...

Famed for his railway hand-books - recently rediscovered through Michael Portillo's television series on the great railway journeys - George Bradshaw also produced this Hand Book to London, which was originally published in 1862. Presented as a series of walks within central London, as well as a trip...

Bournemouth Through Time is a wonderful collection of old and new photographs of Bournemouth. The older images are printed alongside a contemporary full colour photograph, which illustrates the same scene. The contrasting illustrations show how the area has changed and developed during the last 100...

Paddington is part of a hub of underground stations and is home to the world's most famous bear, named after the station. Revel in the selection of images of Paddington Through Time and see how Brunel's masterpiece has stood the test of time. 'I am going to design, in a great hurry, and I believe...

Victoria Station is the second in the Through Time series on London's famous railway termini. 115 million people pass through Victoria each year, making the station London's second busiest after Waterloo. The station is not one, but actually two halves, one built for the London, Brighton & South...

Wotton-under-Edge, standing at the foot of the Cotswolds and tracing its roots back to Saxon times, has seen much change over the last 150 years. The industrial revolution, and the transformation of the transport industry, has greatly affected both the architecture and everyday practices of the town....

Once described as the worst tank that ever won a war it was built in the States by car factories, railway works and vast purpose-built factories. The M4 Sherman saw service in all theatres of the Second World War as well as in later conflicts in Korea and Israel. It came in many variants. The British...