An Eye Opening Book.
I
like Adrian's writing style having been seduced by
his eminently readable books about his time on the
railways as a signalman.
This however, is a very different book, a shocking and scathing book that punctures not a few myths and egos along the way.
Not a book for those seeking a nostalgic book about railways.
It is a work of considerable research and erudition, which looks with a very skeptical eye on many facets of the history of the railways of Britain.
It starts by blowing away some myths about the invention of the steam locomotive, through the grouping and nationalization, to the modern day.
It ought to be required reading for every politician and modern railway manager in learning from the past. But, we never do in this country and so, having invented the whole concept of mass transport by rail, we have perhaps one of the worst rail systems in the world.
A wholly fascinating book, read it, it will open your eyes.