Tales of the Permanent Way: Stories from the Heart of Ireland's Railways

From the opening of the first suburban railway in the world, the Dublin & Kingstown in 1834, Ireland was in the vanguard of early railway development. The flat-bottom rail, common today across the world, was developed by an Irish railway engineer, Charles Blacker Vignoles. The Irish gauge is in use in railways in Australia and Brazil. In this important new book, Michael Barry skilfully blends the history of the railway with the stories of the people at its heart, the permanent way. This book is splendidly illustrated with a wealth of photographs and engravings, from the past to the present. It brings a different and fresh look at the human face of the railway. This book is essential for those who are interested in Ireland's history and heritage and particularly in the fascinating story of its railways.