Swiss Steam Locomotives since 1900

By Martin Fisher THIS book is a magnificent survey of Swiss steam locos – a topic overlooked by English language publishers in the past. Switzerland, uniquely amongst world railways, adopted mainline electrification early in the twentieth century and relentlessly carried on electrifying so that by the 1950/60s the country’s last pockets of steam were removed by new electric trains.

The book begins with a useful summary of how Switzerland’s several major railways became the Federal railway company SBB/CFF/FFS and details the fleet it inherited. SBB began mainline electrification over a century ago in 1919 using the 15kV AC system still in use today, so the vast majority of Swiss steam locos were built well before the 1920s. By 1960, less than 200 survived in use although others remained in strategic store in case they were needed by the military. SBB withdrew its last steam loco in November 1968, and the book then covers the multiplicity of non-SBB companies – both standard and narrow gauge.

Illustrated with multiple archive black and white pictures plus some more recent colour ones of locos that have survived, the book illustrates the wide range of steam locos, steam railcars and snowploughs that have been used in Switzerland.

For anyone interested in the history of Swiss railways or steam loco development more generally, this excellent book is very highly recommended. KF Published by the Swiss Railways Society, www.swissrailsoc.org.uk 224 pages, hardback. £35.00