The Colours of the West Midlands

Well written and a very nice book

Well written and well illustrated.

good

What can I say. This series of books continue to amaze me. This is one area that I do not know much about but gave a great insight.

Excellent book very interesting information included, disappointing Coventry Corporation was not included. there were also many BCT buses which were not included.

Relatively expensive, and some of the captions frustratingly brief it is quite surprising just how many colour pictures there are around from the 1960s. Full credit (and my thanks) must go to the photographers. If the emphasis is a tad too much on Birmingham City Transport which is perhaps reasonable given the relative size of BCT to the other fleets included and the possible limited material available, there is still a fair representation of all the fleets of the West Midlands. Personally I would have liked to see more Midland Red vehicles since living near Dudley that was what I mainly saw!Many memories were brought back and the background of the images are almost as appealing as the vehicles themselves - long lost buildings, retailers, adverts, businesses, fashions, motor vehicles....With very few exceptions, these are quality images which are well reproduced. Indeed, the title is quite apt. Well worth buying.

This is the book that all others should emulate, beautiful photographs superbly reproduced, even the paper feels quality. The emphasis is on Birmingham but this certainly does not detract from the overall appeal of this volume. The captions are short but concise and let the photographs speak for themselves, being a "child of the fifties and sixies" this is pure nostalgia, the photogaph of the Villa Cross Cinema brought back many memories as did the shot of Birchfield Road Garage, as a small child I spent many happy hours sitting on the wall watching the bues coming and going. An unreserved recommendation for this book, if you only buy one bus book this year make sure this is it.

Full of evocative pictures of the vehicles in that area of the world. I can understand the authors reason for not including Coventry which he suggests is not truly West Midlands. But given that the rest of us from outside that region most definitely consider Coventry part of The West Midlands and that the Coventry fleet has very much passed into history his is a sad omission and very slightly detracts from the book. Coventry was hugely varied and full of interest. Having said that the rest of the region is adequately covered and full of interest. As with the Greater Manchester book I am sure there is adequate scope for a second book, Walsall alone merits a second visit. This is however still worth its 5 stars.