The St Ives Branch Line

The St Ives Branch Line PDF Author: Richard C. Long
Publisher: Pen and Sword Transport
ISBN: 1399002015
Category : Transportation
Languages : en
Pages : 320

Book Description
A pictorial history of the rise, fall, and rebirth of the scenic railway in Cornwall, featuring never before published photos. In 1963 comic duo Flanders and Swann composed Slow Train—a lament for some of the many railway lines proposed for closure by Dr Beeching. Among the destinations listed in their song is the refrain “from St Erth to St Ives”. Constructed in 1877 as the last broad gauge line to be built in the UK, the St Ives branch did not close in the 1960s and survives to this day—now widely regarded as one of the most scenic railways in Europe. How did it escape closure, and how did it come to be built in the first place? Why did the war departments of the world have their eyes on St Ives in the years before the First World War? How did a town once renowned for the inescapable smell of fish become one of the most popular tourist resorts in the UK? Did the Great Western Railway invent the Cornish Riviera? Why was a heliport proposed for St Erth? Where did a thirty-two-ton ballast digger end-up in 2008? And how did two young men find themselves four miles from the nearest station in 1860. . . ? Containing over 100 images, mostly in colour and many never published before, this book sets out to answer these and many more questions. Praise for The St Ives Branch Line “A detailed, historical and photographic record of the line, from its very beginnings to the present day. . . . An excellent reference for anyone interested in Cornwall’s railways or scenic UK branch lines in general.” —Model Rail Magazine “If you are looking for a comprehensive and well-illustrated overview of the St Ives line throughout its life, this book will meet your requirements admirably.” —West Somerset Railway Association

Branch Line Britain

Branch Line Britain PDF Author: Paul D Shannon
Publisher: Pen and Sword
ISBN: 1399089935
Category : Transportation
Languages : en
Pages : 154

Book Description
This book examines in words and pictures the network of British branch lines and other secondary routes that survived the mass closures of the 1960s. While nearly 4,000 route miles were lost between 1963 and 1970, the cuts were less severe than they might have been. Some lines were reprieved because of their social importance, even though they would never pay their way in purely commercial terms. They included some lengthy rural routes, such as those serving the Far North of Scotland, Central Wales and the Cumbrian Coast, as well as some urban backwaters such as Romford to Upminster and the St Albans Abbey branch. As the 1970s progressed, closures became scarce, but cost-cutting measures included the singling of some lines as well as scaled-down stations and simplified signalling. Yet even today, some pockets of traditional operation survive. Mechanical signal boxes still control many hundreds of miles across the network, in areas as diverse as West Cornwall, East Lincolnshire and South West Scotland. This book also celebrates several reopened and new lines, ranging from the major Borders Railway project in Scotland to the Stansted Airport and Barking Riverside branches in South East England - making the point that the branch line concept is far from dead.

Modelling Branch Lines

Modelling Branch Lines PDF Author: David Wright
Publisher: Crowood
ISBN: 1785000209
Category : Crafts & Hobbies
Languages : en
Pages : 480

Book Description
This comprehensive book is aimed at all those railway modellers who wish to create a realistic model of a branch line. First of all it examines the origins, developments and future of branch lines in Britain and then provides useful insights into how to select a suitable branch line to model. It discusses in detail how to create scenic realism and an appropriate setting for the model, with reference to the landscape, the infrastructure, the lineside and the use of authentic colour. Detailed information about a selection of several real, and some fictitious, branch lines are presented in order to inspire the modeller and help him to select a suitable subject to faithfully recreate. Finally, track plans and superb drawings of the whole scene are shown which provides the modeller with a visual intepretation of what the completed model should look like. Superbly illustrated with 71 drawings and diagrams and 307 digital colour and black & white photographs.

The Beeching Legacy

The Beeching Legacy PDF Author: Phil Horton
Publisher: Silver Link
ISBN: 1911658794
Category : Transportation
Languages : en
Pages : 196

Book Description
The first edition of this popular volume has been out of print for several years and has become much sought after. Produced in black and white, the first edition was the first volume in the series, taking a detailed regional look at the Beeching Report, its proposals for closures and modifications of the UK railway network. The report has become legendary and the interest and debate it generated is no less today than it has ever been since first published. Indeed, with railways now rejuvenated and passenger numbers growing ever larger, the reflection on what Beeching got right and what perhaps in hindsight got very badly wrong makes for fascinating reading. This new, expanded second edition has been completely reworked and is now published with color illustrations both new and replacing the original black and white images where possible. The text has been expanded and updated as appropriate and there are 32 extra pages, bringing the new edition to 192 pages.
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