Books by Jim Blake

Jim Blake was born at the end of 1947, just five days before the Big Four' railway companies, and many bus companies, were nationalised. He soon developed an interest in railways, and because his home in Islington was close to North London's last two tram routes, also became interested in these, as well as buses and trolleybuses: indeed his home was also close to the heart of the huge London trolleybus network. He was educated at Highbury County Grammar School, and later at Kingsway College, a stone's throw from the famous tram subway. He was bought a camera for his 14th birthday at the end of 1961, with which he photographed the last London trolleybuses in North West London a week later. Three years after that, he started work as an administrator for the old London County Council at County Hall, on the South Bank of the River Thames opposite the Houses of Parliament. By then, his interest in buses and trolleybuses had expanded to include those of other operators, and he travelled throughout England and Wales between 1961 and 1968 in pursuit of them, able to afford to travel further afield after starting work! He also became involved in organising various events for transport enthusiasts in 1980, notably the North Weald Bus Rally between 1984 and 2015, which raised thousands of pounds for charity. Some of these events are still going strong today. He still lives in North London, having moved to his present home in Palmers Green in 1982.