The Truck Book

A lavishly illustrated celebration of trucks and trucking, from the first motorized wagons to the advent of driverless freight vehicles. Charting decade after decade of innovation and change, The Truck Book is a beautifully illustrated history of trucks and trucking culture, and the romance of the open road.Trucks, lorries, and vans share their origins in the steam wagons of the late-1800s and the invention of the modern combustion engine in the 1870s. As steam power gave way to petrol and diesel engines, trucks evolved and diversified according to their desired purpose - becoming everything from panel vans and pick-up trucks through to heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), or construction trucks like log carriers or concrete transporters. They have played a defining role in the wars of the last 100 years, saved lives as ambulances and fire engines, and even provided entertainment in the form of monster trucks.Each chapter showcases the most important and iconic marques and models of every era - from the Ford TT to the Bedford TM Turbo 92 Series, to the Toyota Hilux. Along the way, it evokes the freedom and nostalgia of the open road, explores trucking culture, and shows how trucks or trucking companies, such as UPS or Eddie Stobart, have won a place in fans' hearts.Weaving together stunning photographic catalogues with specially commissioned "visual tours", feature spreads on truck models, designers, and manufacturers, as well as on milestone events or technological developments over the last 120 years, The Truck Book is the most comprehensive and best-illustrated title available on the subject.