Britain from the Rails: A Window Gazer's Guide

by Benedict le Vay

Overview

Expert railway enthusiast Ben Le Vay returns with a new edition of his much-acclaimed guide to discovering Britain from the rails. This latest edition adds new lines and destinations in Britain’s fast-changing railway, while updating the guide to the classic greats. Thoroughly updated, it includes a full, fascinating guide to the new Borders Railway in Scotland, plus details of the new route from London to Oxford and expanded coverage of the eccentric Jolly Fisherman line in Lincolnshire and the charming Cotswold line from Oxford to Hereford. Also included are more details of the Far North line from Inverness to Wick and Thurso.‘Now, finally, the network has a book to be proud of!’ So said one reviewer of the first edition. Branch lines and ‘secret railways’ are covered, and so too are the popular routes such as the glorious East Coast main line to Scotland and the Great Western to Penzance. Regional treats include the famed West Highland Line in Scotland, the Settle and Carlisle railway in the north of England, and entire chapters dedicated to ‘Wales Rails’ and ‘East Anglia: A Circular Tour’. Additional information ranges from the practical – such as a guide to the layout of some of the country’s main termini – to the ‘Inside Track: a window-gazer’s guide to stuff to look out for on your journey’ and intriguing train trivia. The best historic and preserved railways are also included, as are Ben’s Top Ten Rail Journeys. Ben Le Vay says: ‘There are endless books about trains, about the history of the railways, about stations, signal boxes, carriages, wagons… as specialist as you like. There are also myriad books about British cities and countryside, about what is wonderful and fascinating about different patches of our unique island. But there were none that successfully combined the one type of book with the other (after all, you look at the country while sitting on trains) until now. And this is I do with deep knowledge, love and enthusiasm for both parts.’

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781784771416
Publisher:	Bradt Publications UK
Publication date:	11/15/2019
Edition description:	Third edition
Pages:	344
Sales rank:	910,188
Product dimensions:	6.37(w) x 9.32(h) x 1.19(d)

About the Author

Railways are in Ben Le Vay’s blood as his grandfather was an inspector of Indian railways, so his mother grew up on their private train in which they rolled around the Sub-Continent. He says: ‘what motivated this book was the fact that many Brits and visitors had no idea that we have some of the best railway routes in the world – even the line judged to be the world No 1! – right here in this country, and people appreciate having a pointer about where to go and what to see.’ A sub-editor of a national newspaper by trade, he combines his love of writing with his passion for rail travel in this much-praised and unique guide. ‘I’ve never been the sort of rail enthusiast who writes down all the train numbers – despite some good-natured joshing by my friends’ he says, ‘but I have always found rail travel more enjoyable, more elegant and less destructive of our countryside and towns than the car. The fact that I find the railway’s history and operation today fascinating too makes it all the better, and I am told I have done a good job of conveying some of this knowledge to the reader.’

Table of Contents

Rail BritanniaWho is this book for? A lot of peopleHow to use this book Planning your trips The Glorious East Coast Main Line to Scotland King’s Cross to York: record breakers York to Edinburgh: to the world’s first railway Edinburgh to Aberdeen: Firth to last ScotlandRails to Romance AND Beauty The basic layout Glasgow & Edinburgh termini Planning ahead in Scotland The West Highland Line: Glasgow–Crianlarich–Fort William–Mallaig & the Oban Branch: the iron road to the isles The Oban Branch: awe-inspiring ruins, a rock piano, the magical route to Mull & the Holy Islands The Highland Main Line: Inverness to Glasgow (& Edinburgh) Seaside excursions: two great days out from Scotland’s two big cities The Borders Railway The Great North of Scotland Railway: Inverness to Aberdeen The Skye Railway: the very strange story of ‘the most beautiful line in Europe’ The Far North Line: from Inverness to Wick & Thurso The North of EnglandChuffing ’eck, That’s Grand! Midlands mentions (briefly, before heading north) The North of England: overview & recommended lines The wonderful Settle & Carlisle Railway: don’t Settle for anything less! Leeds to Lancaster & Morecambe: a useful connector, brief encounters & a great comedian The Cumbrian Coast Line: right round the Lake District The Lake District by train?: What are those words worth?! Why we’re all missing Lincs!: Nottingham to Skegness Great WesternGod’s Wonderful Railway The GWR: trunk, branches & twigs Keeping great company: the GWR’s great history London to Penzance: the best of the West The Berks & Hants route: Kennet Valley & Vale of Pewsey The GWR strikes north: Cotswolds, Golden Valley & Banbury West Country branches: Devon & Cornwall’s cream Wessex lines: undiluted Old England at her best GWR route into South Wales: branch lines to Dai for Wales Rails Fire-breathing dragons: & going for a spin with the best connected Welsh rare bits & best bits North Wales & the Marches: a fantastic circular route or splendid separate days out The Heart of Wales Line: Shrewsbury to Swansea, a real rural rail survivor East AngliaA Circular Tour to See the Best of This Unique Region Bargain Anglia Hitchin to Cambridge: teetotal recall, dozy crossing keepers & snooty dons The Breckland Line: Cambridge to Norwich – islands in the Fen to blasted heath Really recommended for the ride Norwich–Lowestoft: queen of the lot The lovely East Suffolk Line: Lowestoft to Ipswich (for London): swinging stuff London Liverpool Street to Norwich: via the Great Eastern Main Line (plus fabulous branches) South Western from WaterlooTake Me to the Sunshine Waterloo: welcome to Britain’s biggest & busiest station Waterloo to Woking: another Britain’s busiest Woking to Southampton: Martians to maritime Southampton to Weymouth: the New Forest & two Hardys’ Wessex The Portsmouth Direct Line: Woking to Pompey, ups & Downs Waterloo to Exeter: the West of England Main Line South & SoutheastFrom Dirty Weekends to Bo Peep The Brighton Line: premier holiday route London Victoria to Brighton: what to look out for from Thames to Channel Brighton Line Branches Brighton–Hastings–Ashford: towns, gowns & Downs Hastings Direct & the Kent Coast: catch the 1066 Britain’s ‘Secret Railways’ 1 Manchester to Glossop & Hadfield: no stinting on Dinting! 2 The Welsh Valleys: Merthyr & branches 3 Ebbw Vale: film stars & a phoenix 4 Vale of Glamorgan: where you can find coastal beauty, a TV hit, a vital scrap of history & a forgotten disaster 5 London’s new Orbital Railway: Outer Circle Line, or rail M25? 6 London Marylebone to Oxford: cheeky Chilterns interloper Appendix ONE: The Inside Track A window-gazer’s guide to ‘rail things’: stuff to look out for on your journey Train trivia Appendix TWO : Useful Information Books on railways: read between the lines Steamy affairs: historic & preserved railways Index

Editorial Reviews

Rediscover the romance of train travel with the help of Britain from the Rails.

Sunday Mail