A new & comprehensive history of one of our best-loved railway companies. Gods Wonderful Railway the astonishing engineering feat of Isambard Kingdom Brunels main line from Paddington to Penzance with its stupendous bridge over the River Tamar endless Box Tunnel & exhilarating stretch alongside the sea at Dawlish Warren has always been beloved of anyone who likes trains. Andrew Rodens comprehensive new history of this remarkable railway company whose well-engineered lines survive not only into the privatised era of First Great Western but also in numerous lovingly restored steam railways like the Dart Valley tells the story of nothing less than the opening-up of the isolated south-west of England to the trade & tourism of the modern age. It has left us with soaring termini like Paddington & Bristol Temple Meads as well as glorious railway institutions like the Night Riviera overnight sleeper to Cornwall that endure to this day (not least thanks to the authors own campaigning!). While the GWRs green locomotives & chocolate & cream carriages may have given way to violet anyone who wants to return to the golden age of the railways will find the companys history an enthralling journey. ...

The Great Western Railway (GWR) was founded in 1833 & would connect London to the West. It was engineered by the famous Isambard Kingdom Brunel & was known to many as Gods Wonderful Railway. Here is the story of how it grew. Ken Gibbs traces the GWRs history from the very beginning. He describes the canals that existed in the approximate area eventually covered by the Great Western Railway & their fate as the railway developed. He then examines the tramroads & plateways that existed in the area fed by the canals the mining quarrying iron working & commercial interests as the Industrial Revolution spread accompanied by the Great Western Railway. The final section looks at the only real opposition to the Great Western: the existing & new railway companies that became targets for takeover as the Great Western expanded its hold & its territory. With Nationalisation in 1947 the GWRs independence ended. All the struggles with canals plateways tramroads & other railway companies were now confined to the history books & the memories of the reducing numbers who knew the Great Western Railway as it was at the height of the steam years. ...

More than 500 of the worlds finest whiskies distilled into one user-friendly pocket guide. Great Whiskies" is the ideal drinking companion for any whisky lover: it is generous knowledgeable & willing to go anywhere! Reflecting the diversity of the whisky world this brings you over 500 varieties from over 22 nations
- from classic whisky-making regions such as Scotland to lesser-known distilleries in China & Japan. Expert tasting notes & full-colour photographs reveal the secrets that give each whisky its character & cherry-picks the best to try. Swot up on key facts & histories of need-to-know distilleries plus get tips & advice on your own whisky trails of key whisky regions. This is a guide that covers every style: single malt blended grain bourbon rye & more. & in a handy pocket-sized format this makes a perfect whisky-lovers gift."
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What better time than the run up to Christmas to read a book on wine that exposes the cheating that goes on in the whole industry in order to learn more about wine. Malcolm Gluck made drinking wine accessible with Superplonk" his yearly review of wines from 1995. He is disturbed that over 15 years on & many popular TV programmes British consumers still think wine is more mysterious than beer & has to cost a fortune. Here he will teach the reader all the tricks learned in 15 years of writing about wine. People serve their friends Spanish bubbly & feel guilty even though it is likely to be a much better product than many French champagnes. In this book Malcolm rips the lid off all the tricks used by the wine world. It is based on his twenty five years of experience as a wine writer. At last wine has found its Jeremy Clarkson!" ...

For the two men in this novel war was supposed to be a testing ground. But it proved to be an ordeal of a different kind. Spanning 70 years of Australian life from Sydneys Cross to the backwaters of the Hawkesbury River this is a novel of lost innocence & witness. ...

This title covers holistic Yoga holidays. It also features beautiful locations acclaimed yoga masters & restorative retreats. Looking for a tranquil vacation that leaves you relaxed restored & uplifted? Then try a yoga retreat. Even if enlightenment is not your aim youll definitely achieve a luminous glow. Yogis understand the positive influence of natural surroundings & feng shui on the body mind & soul while the healthy organic food (almost always vegetarian) served at most retreats leaves you feeling lighter & purified. Whether you go by yourself with a friend or partner or even in a group you will always find friendly company. Angelika Taschen has travelled the world to select the most exquisite & inspirational yoga retreats: choose from an exotic luxury hotel in Bhutan a spiritual Ashram in India a farmhouse in Tuscany or a beach resort in Mexico. But be warned yoga can easily become a way of life. You might find yourself planning your days & even holidays around yoga practice. Highlights include the Parmarth Niketan Ashram in Rishikesh the birthplace of yoga one of the holy cities of the Ganges & a renowned pilgrimage site where the Beatles attended the Maharishis ashram in 1968; Yogamagic an eco-retreat in Goa on the gentle Indian Ocean. Italy is not just a destination for the cultural & culinary traveller but also for the dedicated yogi: Il Convento in Tuscany & Santa Maria del Sole in Puglia strike a balance between yoga & the sensual Italian lifestyle. The Esalen Institute in Big Sur is a legendary New Age destination offering yoga & much more with over 500 spiritual & physical workshops; while Amansalas Bikini Boot Camp in Tulum Mexico combines beach life with yoga classes. Finally Jungle Bay Resort & Spa on the Caribbean Island of Dominica offers wild rainforest surroundings with yoga teachers from all over the world. ...

NOW A RADIO 4 BOOK AT BEDTIME. In the winter of 1952 Isabel Carey moves to the East Riding of Yorkshire with her husband Philip a GP. With Philip spending long hours on call Isabel finds herself isolated & lonely as she strives to adjust to the realities of married life. Woken by intense cold one night she discovers an old RAF greatcoat hidden in the back of a cupboard. Sleeping under it for warmth she starts to dream. & not long afterwards while her husband is out she is startled by a knock at her window. Outside is a young RAF pilot waiting to come in. His name is Alec & his powerful presence both disturbs & excites her. Her initial alarm soon fades & they begin an intense affair. But nothing has prepared her for the truth about Alecs life nor the impact it will have on hers.. . ...

In the winter of 1952 Isabel Carey moves to the East Riding of Yorkshire with her husband Philip a GP. With Philip spending long hours on call Isabel finds herself isolated & lonely as she strives to adjust to the realities of married life. Woken by intense cold one night she discovers an old RAF greatcoat hidden in the back of a cupboard. Sleeping under it for warmth she starts to dream. & not long afterwards while her husband is out she is startled by a knock at her window. Outside is a young RAF pilot waiting to come in. His name is Alec & his powerful presence both disturbs & excites her. Her initial alarm soon fades & they begin an intense affair. But nothing has prepared her for the truth about Alecs life nor the impact it will have on hers... See Judys Review See Richards Review Download A Sample Chapter Of The Greatcoat Read about the Author Exclusive Bonus Content Write a Review for The Greatcoat Judys Review I love ghost stories & this one is hugely atmospheric. It exists in a haze of smoky cold gloom. Isabel is a young newlywed married to Philip a GP embarking on his first practice in a small East Riding town in Yorkshire. But what defines this story is the period in which it takes place
- 1952. The second world war is over but for most of the UK life is still extremely hard. Food is still rationed; so is coal. Isabel & Philip rent a two-roomed flat in an old house where the only other resident is the landlady Mrs Atkinson who lives alone on the top floor. She is aloof & remote hostile to young Isabel who tries desperately to make her dinghy freezing flat into a home. The dark & cold of the house & surrounding town is oppressive. Isabel tries to get to grips with being a housewife buying rationed food at local shops but she feels an outsider gauche & inexperienced. Freezing at night in the bed she shares with her husband she searches the flat for extra blankets. At the back of a cupboard she finds an old greatcoat
- the kind an RAF officer would have worn during the war. She puts it on the bed for warmth & is pulled into another reality. The owner of the greatcoat Alec an RAF pilot once based at the local airfield comes tapping at her window. The only problem is that Alec is dead. Richards Review

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In the winter of 1952 Isabel Carey moves to the East Riding of Yorkshire with her husband Philip a GP. With Philip spending long hours on call Isabel finds herself isolated & lonely as she strives to adjust to the realities of married life. Woken by intense cold one night she discovers an old RAF greatcoat hidden in the back of a cupboard. Sleeping under it for warmth she starts to dream. & not long afterwards while her husband is out she is startled by a knock at her window. Outside is a young RAF pilot waiting to come in. His name is Alec & his powerful presence both disturbs & excites her. Her initial alarm soon fades & they begin an intense affair. But nothing has prepared her for the truth about Alec's life nor the impact it will have on hers... ...

Amongst the many thousands of lives tragically cut short in the First World War were hundreds of young men who had athletic & sporting promise. This book studies fourteen professional sportsmen who gave their lives in that most vicious of conflicts. It also looks deeper into the impact that the War had on professional sport in Britain & the raising of sportsman-specific Pals units that enabled a number of these men to serve side-by-side in the trenches of France & Flanders. Their intriguing yet tragic stories are drawn from the ranks of professional footballers international rugby stars Wimbledon champions Olympic gold medallists cricketing heroes golfing professionals a member of the Ice Hockey Hall of Fame & a Tour de France winner of the countries fighting for the Allied cause. Once in uniform they became soldiers sailors & airmen & as vulnerable & mortal as any of their comrades-in-arms. Whilst some were awarded Britain's highest military accolade the Victoria Cross many others lay in unmarked graves & are today listed on memorials to the missing. All left their lives of fame wealth & security to play 'the Greater Game' overseas & pay the ultimate price on the field of battle. In addition to detailing the sporting achievements of these men this book delves into their military experiences their battles are studied & footsteps are followed across the old front line. The Greater Game
- Sporting Icons who Fell in The Great War will appeal to sporting & military enthusiasts alike whilst providing a fascinating & long overdue tribute to our true sporting heroes of ninety years ago.
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