Mapping The Railways

Product Description

Follow the development, decline & revival of Britains railways through a unique collection of old & new maps, commentaries & photographs. Charting the rich history of Britains railways from 1819 to the present day, this fascinating compendium shows how trains have played an essential part in British life for nearly 200 years. Throughout this engaging book is a series of 'milepost' features on key events, eras & personalities in the history of Britains railways. From the enormous role the railways played in the World Wars to modern events, like the opening of the Channel Tunnel, this extensive book shows you how British history is firmly tied to the railways. The story is traced from early ?waggonways?, through the steam era to todays diesel & electric railways. Mapping the Railways will appeal to railway enthusiasts, historians & general interest readers alike. Over 100 railway maps: ? Historical & modern rail network maps ? Extracts from Ordnance Survey sheets ? Plans for proposed railway schemes ? Track diagrams & official reports ? Pictorial maps, posters & ephemera ? Cartography by Bartholomew, Airey, Bradshaw & many others Pivotal events in railway history: ? The nineteenth century saw the foundations laid for our modern railway network, with huge building projects constructing thousands of miles of track, bridges & tunnels ? Expansion slowed in the early twentieth century as competition from the car & the lorry began to bite ? Railways made an enormous contribution to the World Wars, then underwent massive re-equipment after nationalization ? Drastic change followed the ' Beeching Report' of 1963, which advocated closure of underused rail lines ? The modern era has seen an expansion of the network again, with the building of the Channel Tunnel & the re-opening of a significant number of lines closed under the ' Beeching axe', many as heritage railways.