This album is the second of two volumes covering the extraordinary breadth and individuality of narrow gauge railways in England, ranging from the diminutive 18in gauge serving the L&NWR’s famous Crewe Works to the Colonial-style Leek & Manifold 2ft 6ins gauge line in Derbyshire.
The theme of these books also consider the overall development of narrow gauge railways in England, within the political, legal, economic and social frameworks of the 19th and 20th centuries. Narrow gauge railways in England were largely built for three different purposes: industrial, military or as common carriers connecting communities left out of the railway mania construction of the 19th century.
Within this framework, local entrepreneurs and several innovators, such as John Barraclough Fell, Magnus Volk, Richard Rapier and E.R. Calthrop, pushed out the barriers of the narrow gauge. By the outbreak of the First World War there were ominous warnings that road transport might provide a better bet than the narrow gauge railway.
This war largely stopped any further significant advancement of the narrow gauge and the public lines in Britain began to struggle financially. The Second World War pushed many of these enterprises into bankruptcy as labour and materials were diverted to the war effort. During and immediately after the war, the majority of the remaining lines closed.
For the railway enthusiast, however, English narrow gauge railways were to prove welcome news, as each developed its own idiosyncratic character as well as being operated by a wide range of different and largely attractive steam locomotives and rolling stock, enduring them to history if not commerce.
English Narrow Gauge Album Volume 2 presents histories of several narrow gauge railways around England, most of which are no longer in existence.
Chapter List:
- Copper Kingdom: The Richest Square Mile in the Old World: The Redruth & Chasewater Railway
- Acquired, Upgraded and Nationalised: The East Cornwall Railway
- Our Own Little Railway: The Lynton & Barnstaple Railway
- London's Waterworks Railway: The Hampton & Kempton Waterworks Railway
- A Survivor Even Today: The Snailbeach District Railways Company
- Baldwins to the Rainbow: The Ashover Light Railway
- The Island Railway: The Jersey Railway & Tramways Company Ltd
- London's Secret Railway: The Post Office Railway
- Locomotive Builders to the World: Beyer, Peacock & Co Ltd
- The Very Last Steam Tramway in the UK: The Wolverton & Stony Stratford Railway
- The Chattenden & Upnor Railway
- Latin Primer for Enthusiasts: The Furzebrook Railway
- Fletcher, Jennings at Betchworth
- Marmalade Sandwiches and a Flask of Tea: The Northamptonshire Ironstone Quarry Lines
- Early Narrow Gauge Preservation: The Early Story of the Narrow Gauge Railway Society
Each chapter is well-illustrated with a series of archive black & white photographs and reproduced postcards. Hardback. 224 pages.