Branch Lines of …

By the end of the nineteenth century the railway had reached most parts of East Anglia, with two main lines reaching out from London to Norwich, Cambridge and Kings Lynn, and plenty of small secondary and branch lines filling in the gaps in between. In this informative volume, Andy T. Wallis uses his fascinating collection of photographs and maps to explore the history of the Wymondham–Wells-next-the-Sea branch line, with stations including Wymondham, Kimberley Park, Hardingham, Thuxton, Yaxham, Dereham, North Elmham, County School, Ryburgh, Fakenham, Walsingham, Wighton Halt and Wells-next-the-Sea. Well-researched and in-depth, this volume will appeal not only to steam railway enthusiasts, but also to local historians.

The branch lines of Devon were particularly numerous and this volume covers those in Exeter and the south, central and eastern parts of the county. They were also tremendously varied, ranging from the Exmouth branch - the nearest the West Country comes to a suburban-type commuter line - and the Paignton line - which for many years of its life could be considered a main line - to the Culm Valley Light Railway - a curiosity which required locomotives with a short wheelbase and slight axle loading and restrictions on rolling stock. Many Devon branch lines were originally built to the broad gauge and were later narrowed, some lasting until its very end in May 1892. Three of the branches in the area have been preserved: part of the Seaton line is now a narrow-gauge electric tramway, the South Devon Railway at Buckfastleigh is a typical GWR branch, and the Dartmouth Steam Railway is capable of taking main-line engines. In this absorbing and well-researched book, Colin G. Maggs has provided a marvellously wideranging view of over 160 years of rail travel in the county. Well illustrated with over 200 fascinating photographs, ephemera and maps, The Branch Lines of Devon Part One: Exeter, South, Central & East Devon will appeal not only to railway enthusiasts, but local historians as well.

The Branch Lines of Somerset offers a wide-ranging view of 160 years of rail travel. The branch lines of the county have shown a diverse range of railway activity: horse-drawn passenger coaches, the second steam railcar built in England and operated as early as 1848, an internal-combustion-engine railcar, and a similarly powered shunting engine in the 1920s, long before they were common on the main lines. The permanent way, too, has shown an interesting variation from the standard: fl at-bottomed rail was used before it appeared on British main lines, concrete sleepers appeared on an independent line as early as 1919, while in the 1930s steel sleepers were used experimentally. Station buildings varied from small wooden huts, about the size of a sentry box, to substantial brick or stone buildings. Traffic, too, varied: some branches were principally for passenger use, while others carried considerable traffic, including seasonal produce, such as strawberries and rabbits. The lively and informative text outlines the county's main railway routes and describes in detail the branch lines serving each. Although most of the branch lines were closed in the Beeching era, their character can still be savoured on the preserved East Somerset Railway at Cranmore and the West Somerset Railway between Bishop's Lydeard and Minehead. Highly illustrated with over 200 fascinating photographs and ephemera, this volume will appeal not only to railway enthusiasts, but also to local historians.

The branch lines of Devon were particularly numerous and this second volume on the county covers Plymouth, west and north Devon. They vary from the Turnchapel and Yealmpton commuter lines, to the Exeter and Barnstaple branch, which for many years of its life was a main line, becoming a branch line within the last forty years. One branch still open is the Plymouth to Gunnislake line, which remains because it offers the most direct route. Many of the branches have interesting histories. The Princetown branch was famous for being the highest station in England. The Torrington to Halwill Junction line began life as the 3-foot-gauge Marland Light Railway whose main purpose was to carry clay. In 1925, the line was rebuilt as a standard-gauge line and extended to become the North Devon & Cornwall Light Railway - the last major railway construction in the West of England. In this absorbing, entertaining and well-researched book, Colin G. Maggs, foremost railway historian, provides a marvellously wide-ranging view of over 170 years of rail travel. Profusely illustrated with over 200 fascinating photographs, maps and ephemera, this book will appeal not only to railway enthusiasts, but to local historians as well.

The branch lines of Dorset, shared almost equally between the GWR and LSWR, varied from lightly built, rural railways carrying a low volume of traffic, to the Swanage branch, which at times carried main line express locomotives. Fortunately this line has been preserved and can still be enjoyed today. Many Dorset branches served seaside resorts, while other lines were principally, or solely, for industrial or military use. The county had an unusual number of lines running to quays, two passing through streets for a mile and mingling with other traffic.One such interesting branch was the Weymouth Harbour Tramway, which carried the Channel Islands Boat Express through the back streets of the town, as well as dealing with tomatoes, potatoes and other produce. All the Dorset branches are described in this absorbing, entertaining and well-researched book. Colin G. Maggs, foremost railway historian, provides a marvellously wide-ranging view of over 150 years of rail travel. Anecdotes of branch life and the people who ran them enrich the narrative throughout, including the story of the vanishing train driver - and his later appearance in court. The main railway routes are given a brief account before each branch is looked at in detail. Profusely illustrated with over 200 fascinating photographs, maps and ephemera, this book will appeal not only to railway enthusiasts, but to local historians and model makers.

The range and number of lines in Gloucestershire, and the type and diversity of the locomotives operating both branch and main lines, make it a particularly interesting railway county. In this well-researched book, all of Gloucestershire's branch lines are described in an entertaining and highly informative narrative. We encounter horse-worked lines and one line boasting the longest railway bridge in England. There is also a line operated by a veteran tank engine, complete with open-backed cab, and a timber bridge still in use in the 1950s. Against the national trend and a background of closing lines and stations, rail traffic in Gloucestershire increased and new halts were opened. Gloucestershire became the testing ground for an experimental geared locomotive, which it was hoped would revolutionise motive power on rural lines. It did not, however, meet with success, although the introduction of rail buses on some branches had a more positive effect. A marvellous, wide-ranging view of over a century of rail travel in Gloucestershire, highly illustrated with over 200 fascinating photographs and ephemera, this volume will appeal not only to steam railway enthusiasts, but also to local historians.

The branch lines of Warwickshire had unusually interesting and evocative station names, from the pleasant and graceful Henley-in-Arden and Salford Priors to Maxstoke, which suggests a particularly efficient locomotive fireman. The branch lines showed a great diversity of railway activity, from a horseworked line carrying passengers and goods to a railway worked on the principle of descending loaded wagons hauling up empties by means of a cable. As well as conventional types of locomotives there were a few rarities, including a standard gauge articulated Fairlie, and a bus which was capable of running on both road and rail. This was not the only innovation, as before 1914 the Stratford-upon-Avon & Midland Junction Railway was carrying out experiments whereby telephone conversations were made to callers aboard the train and those stationary. The branch lines were built between the early nineteenth century and the first quarter of the twentieth century. One branch line developed to main line status and then reverted back to branch line. Although many eventually became part of the GWR, some belonged to the London, Midland & Scottish Railway empire. This book describes the county's main railway routes and gives details of the branch lines serving each, and interesting incidents that occurred. In this well-researched book, Colin G. Maggs provides a marvellously wide-ranging view of over 165 years of rail travel in the county. Highly illustrated, with over 150 fascinating photographs and ephemera The Branch Lines of Warwickshire will appeal not only to railway enthusiasts but also to local historians.

The Branch Lines of Buckinghamshire gives the reader a marvellous wide-ranging view of over 100 years of rail travel in this area of Britain during an era of rapid change. The county's branch lines show a remarkable diversity - they include the Great Western Railway, the Great Central Railway, the London & North Western Railway and the Metropolitan Railway, while the Midland Railway just entered the northernmost tip of the county. Branches varied in character from the sleepy rural Brill line, closed in 1935, to the highly efficient Chesham branch which is now electrified. Colin Maggs offers a thoroughly researched account of Buckinghamshire's main railway routes and he looks at, and illustrates, each branch line in detail. The book is fascinating reading for railway enthusiasts, modellers and local historians. Buckinghamshire has two former main lines, now relegated to branch status, while the former Bourne End to Marlow branch, once a sub-branch from the High Wycombe to Maidenhead line, can now only be reached from Maidenhead. There are two freight-only branches, both serving the Recycling Group's Waste Terminal at Calvert, and there is a movement afoot to reopen the Bicester Town to Bletchley line. This lively and carefully researched account provides a wide-ranging view of over a century's travel on the county's railways. The Branch Lines of Buckinghamshire is comprehensively illustrated with over 150 photographs and will appeal strongly to enthusiasts and modellers alike.

Most of the branch lines of Berkshire were offshoots of the Great Western Railway, although the company was not without its competitors: both the South Eastern Railway and the London and South Western Railway gave alternative routes to London. While many lines only provided local services, two in this area linked the industrial Midlands with the south coast - the Reading to Basingstoke line and the Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway. The latter was a busy route during the Second World War, when it carried troops and supplies to the coast for the invasion of Normandy in 1944. Another branch is that from Slough to Windsor. A special royal station was built at Windsor, and the line has carried the funeral train of every British sovereign since Queen Victoria. Less well known, the Wantage Tramway was worked by ordinary steam engines and main line wagons, despite its name. All Berkshire's branch lines are described here in an entertaining and informative text that introduces the county's main railway routes before describing the branch lines in detail. Their history is outlined, together with many amusing or tragic incidents that occurred. Illustrated throughout with photographs, ephemera associated with the lines, and maps, The Branch Lines of Berkshire will be of interest to railway enthusiasts and local historians alike.

The branch lines of Oxfordshire were not so numerous as those of some other counties, but they carried a wide variety of locomotives and rolling stock, and included specialist lines such as those for Morris Cowley, as well as branches of the Great Western Railway. Many of the lines centred on the county town, Oxford, and though a number were short, some, such as those to Fairford and Bletchley, were longer. Most of the lines were rural, but some formed part of a through route, such as the Cheltenham-Banbury, Paddington-Thame-Oxford, Paddington-Birmingham and Oxford-Cambridge lines. Among those lines which have rarely been reviewed in publications are the Bicester Military Railway, the Wroxton Quarry Railway and the Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway. All Oxfordshire's branch lines are described here in an entertaining and informative text that brings their history to life. A brief account is given of the county's main railway routes before each branch is looked at in detail. The book is illustrated with over 190 black and white photographs, maps and ephemera which capture the history of Oxfordshire's railways. Carefully researched and attractively presented, The Branch Lines of Oxfordshire will appeal to railway enthusiasts, modellers, local historians and anyone interested in Britain's industrial heritage.

The branch lines of Worcestershire are especially interesting because of their variety, ranging from parts of the Severn Valley Railway, one of the country's largest preserved main lines, to former main lines, right down to lines which have always been branches. Many are now closed, yet several are still active and may be enjoyed by today's traveller. Although most branches were steam-worked until the 1960s when diesel power took over, one branch was cable-worked in its early days. Some of the lines were worked by steam railmotors - a coach and locomotive combined in the same vehicle. The Stourbridge Town branch was one of the last haunts of the GWR railmotors and less than six months after it ceased to use the line, early diesel railcars took over working the same branch. One branch has even been electrifi ed - that from Barnt Green to Redditch. Most of the stations still open have been modernised, but a few retain their nineteenth-century buildings, while the preserved Severn Valley Railway has erected a splendid terminus at Kidderminster in the GWR style of 1890. Other celebrated structures include the many timbered viaducts, as well as others in stone, brick or steel. In addition to describing the traffi c on each branch line and its history, well-known railway historian Colin G. Maggs tells of some of the mishaps which occurred on the 'Old Worse and Worse', the aptly nicknamed Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway. A lively and well-researched account of over a century's travel on the county's railways, The Branch Lines of Worcestershire is illustrated with over 180 photographs. It will appeal to railway enthusiasts and local historians alike.

Although the majority of the branch lines of Hampshire belonged to the London & South Western Railway, they offered the opportunity to see a wide variety of locomotives serving both rural outposts and the major towns. In the west of the county, the railway centred on Bournemouth and Southampton. During the Second World War these two lines rose to become important arteries carrying men and materials to south coast ports. Other branches are interesting for their industrial and freight services; among them Fawley, which served and continues to serve the oil refinery. Some branches in Hampshire were shut down even before the Second World War: Ringwood - Bournemouth closed to all traffic in 1935, while the Hurstbourne - Fullerton line closed to passengers in 1931. Freight lingered on until 1956. Many branches have been lifted, but a few remain open today. A casualty in 1914 was the branch to the Royal Pier, Southampton, which connected with the Isle of Wight ferry, while another route to the Isle of Wight, that via Lymington, was eventually electrified. All the Hampshire branches are described in detail, and the text includes lively anecdotes of the trains and those who served them. The book is illustrated with over 150 black and white photographs, maps and ephemera, which capture the history of the county's railways.