This book examines the reasons why no through rail link was ever built between Fort William and Inverness; towns at each end of the Great Glen.
The Great Glen was a historical thoroughfare, offering a relatively flat route between the west coast and the Highland capital. The Caledonian Canal has offered a through waterway since the 1820s and one of the Highlands' busiest roads uses a similar route, but no through railway was ever built.
The history of Great Glen railway schemes is discussed across a number of chapters:
- Chapter 1: Background: The Late-Coming West Highland Railway 1840-89
- Chapter 2: The West Highland Company in Being, Next Moves 1889-94
- Chapter 3: Patched-Up Quarrels 1894-95
- Chapter 4: A Busy Year in Parliament 1895-96
- Chapter 5: A New Player: The Invergarry & Fort Augustus Railway 1896-97
- Chapter 6: A Several Sided Contest 1896-97
- Chapter 7: Interlude 1897-99
- Chapter 8: Finding a Saviour 1899-1902
- Chapter 9: Last Battle 1902-03
- Chapter 10: Reckoning 1903-14
No Way Through: Great Glen Railway Schemes provides a fascinating account of plans for a railway through the Great Glen. It is well illustrated throughout with archive black & white photographs, maps and reproduced documents. Hardback. 128 pages.