Railways: Their Life and Times: Facts, Figures and Curiosities about Trains from Steam to High Speed

If you were going to try and pick a point when what we think of as "the Great Railway Age" came to an end, then 1965 would be as good as any. Steam was either gone from railway networks, or it was on its last legs: rail travel was no longer the only viable long-distance (land) transport mode; the proliferation of the motor car and the growth in jet passenger aircraft capability offered attractive travel options. More and more railway stations and lines were being closed in parts of the Western world, meaning that no longer would the bulk of people have regular contact with trains. But the fascination with railways and their history would endure - and this books captures the continuing appeal of trains, looking back over a century to the many stories that need to be told. This is a book for those who love railways.