Although to many enthusiasts, municipal vehicles never extended beyond the trams, trolleybuses and buses that were required to provide the basic public service, behind them were a range of vehicles that were required to enable operations to proceed smoothly. These vehicles – tower wagons, tree-loppers, towing vehicles, training vehicles, mobile canteens and numerous others – are vehicles that, historically, have tended to be ignored when writing the history of municipal operators but without which operation would have been impossible. Some of these vehicles were often elderly buses converted for new duties, others were specially constructed for their somewhat specialised tasks; all, however, are fascinating examples of historic municipal vehicles.

Gavin Booth, one of the country’s leading experts on the subject of public transport history, has delved deep into the archives of many of the country’s leading transport photographers to produce a fascinating survey of these often ignored vehicles. Dividing the subject into each of the specialised tasks, he shows how the various types of vehicle evolved during the twentieth century. Alongside the excellent photographs, the author’s well-researched text and detailed captions make the book an essential work of reference for all those interested in the history of Britain’s municipal bus operations.