Steam Trains Today, Andrew Martin
Steam Trains Today, Andrew Martin
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Steam Trains Today
Riding the Heritage Railways of Britain

Author: Andrew Martin

Narrator: Andrew Martin

Unabridged: 11 hr 53 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 09/01/2021

Synopsis

After the Beeching cuts of the 1960s, many railways were 'rationalised' and gradually shut down. Rural communities were isolated without ready access to the main lines and steam trains slowly gave way to diesel and electric traction. But some people were not prepared to let the romance of train travel die. Thanks to their efforts, many of these lines passed into community ownership and are now booming with new armies of dedicated volunteers. Andrew Martin goes out to meet these enthusiasts and find out just what it is about preserved railways which makes people so devoted. From the inspiration for Thomas the Tank Engine to John Betjeman's battle against encroaching modernity, Steam Trains Today is a wonderful journey across Britain.

About Andrew Martin

Andrew Martin's first novel Early Work was a New York Times Notable Book of 2018 and a finalist for the Cabell First Novelist Award. His stories and essays have been published in The Paris Review, The Atlantic, The New York Review of Books, Harper's, and T: The New York Times Style Magazine. He lives in New York with his partner, Laura, and their dog Bonnie.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Sophie on April 29, 2023

This is the Ideal Book for Train, Travel & Railway Enthusiasts.......more

Goodreads review by John on August 06, 2021

An amiable voyage of discovery round some of our Heritage Railways. At times this reads rather like one of Bill Bryson's odysseys round Britain with odd details, but lacking both Bryson's wit and his ability for sharp observation. Andrew Martin has certainly done the footwork and visited lots of dif......more

Goodreads review by Jeremy on February 14, 2022

Anecdotal and interesting. It kept me engaged throughout the details of all the heritage railways around the UK. The writing style bounced a bit in parts, sounding pretentious on one page and like a novel in another. However, I have enjoyed it.......more

Goodreads review by Simon on March 03, 2024

This was an excellent tour around the UK's preserved railways with an interesting and informative guide. Plenty of history and many personal anecdotes from visits to these lines and train rides on them. Included in the description of each line is enough detail to to flesh out and give a feel of what......more

Goodreads review by L on March 14, 2022

This is the third Andrew Martin book I've read, and they're all really enjoyable. They're interesting and informative while also being very readable, and this is no different. It's made me want to go out and travel on some heritage railways. The only criticism is a publishing one - why no maps? They......more

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