Best railway history books?

[Anetos]

Preferrably with all the context

 

[John Webb]

The subject of railway history is a vast and wide-ranging subject. Some books have been written about the technical development of the railways, some about the social effect the coming of the railways had, some about the development of industry that the railways enabled.

Many books have been written about the history of specific railway lines including all of the above, but I must admit I cannot think of a single book that covers the whole of the UK's railway development.

There are a few reference books, such as "The Oxford Companion to British Railway History" edited by Jack Simmons and Gordon Biddle (Published by Oxford University Press in 1997), which give short entries on most things and can guide you to more detailed books - but that book is approaching 30 years of age and a good deal has happened since then!

You are not that far from the National Railway Museum in York - a visit there to look at the books available in their "Search Engine" area might help you?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Preferrably with all the context

Welcome to the forum! What aspect(s) of railway history are you perhaps most interested in? A particular decade or period in time? Recent or not so recent? individual line or region of the country? Restricted to GB or maybe overseas? Will help narrow down the multitude of suggestions that you might otherwise get.

 

[yorksrob]

I like Vic Mitchell and Keith Smith's Middleton Press series - grew up with these, so many fascinating photos down the years.

Also like the Past and Present series (the fact that the "present" scenes are often a few decades ago just makes it better.

 

[Bevan Price]

Jut a few:

Oakwood Press have published many histories mostly of branch lines and the smaller railway companies.
Several publishers have published what are mainly photo albums that often include captions including historic content.
Now out of print, but secondhand copies commonly seen, David & Charles published a multi-volume regional history of our railways.

Suggest internet search for what railway line or topic interests you most.

 

[matchmaker]

For Scottish railways the author to look for is John Thomas, apart from the Glasgow and South Western which must be David L Smith. For general history, look for the series "A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain", published by David and Charles. Out of print, but still readily available second hand. 15 or so volumes.

 

[Gloster]

As it is two hundred years since the start of railways a number of books are likely to be published this year to celebrate the anniversary. As ever, the quality is likely to variable: the only one that I know of by a reputable author is not going to go ahead as the deal he was offered was not worth the effort. Unfortunately, many of the authors of general railway history that could be relied on to do a good job are either retired or dead. There were a couple of good books that came out around the 150th anniversary which may be available in the secondhand market.

Although I have some reservations about them, if you want a single volume general history you are probably best searching out one of Christian Wolmar’s books. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if one or two are republished in one form or another.

 

[D6130]

For a detailed and well-written overview of the development of the rail network - and its social and industrial consequences - I can recommend "The Railways - Nation, Network and People" by Simon Bradley.

 

[ThirteenArches]

Well, books I've REALLY enjoyed include Railways: Mechanical Engineering by J B Snell. It takes you through the development of railways from the start, with fascinating insights into how the available technology influenced design decisions. You can pick it up online for a fiver or so. But if you're more into safety, Red for Danger by Rolt.

 

[Peter Wilde]

For a good account of BR, try Tanya Jackson “British Rail: The Nation’s Railway”. Recent (2013?), well written, text-heavy and well argued.

 

[geoffk]

For a detailed and well-written overview of the development of the rail network - and its social and industrial consequences - I can recommend "The Railways - Nation, Network and People" by Simon Bradley.

I was given the Simon Bradley book by a neighbour and am getting through it slowly - the "War and Peace" of railway books. There are 645 pages, although the actual text ends at page 551, the rest being index, acknowledgements, sources etc. After 280-odd pages of history, Simon Bradley moves on to present-day issues around safety, recent accidents and privatisation, and the mood changes. I hope I'm not infringing copyright by quoting the following lines -

"Privatisation made no serious attempt to engage with the special character of railway operation and engineering; instead, it drew on the one-size-fits-all ideology of the free marketeer, by which every exchange must be monetised, and competition within an agreed legal and financial framework is the universal ideal. Co-operative relationships were thus replaced - deliberately and knowingly - by adversarial ones." Bradley then goes on to discuss Hatfield, Ladbroke Grove and Potters Bar.

 

[vic-rijrode]

... "A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain", published by David and Charles. Out of print, but still readily available second hand. 15 or so volumes.

There is also a Volume 16 which is not published by David & Charles but is a "D & C-alike" history of Irish Railways. This is comparatively rare and thus expensive.

 

[midland1]

There is also a Volume 16 which is not published by David & Charles but is a "D & C-alike" history of Irish Railways. This is comparatively rare and thus expensive.

The Ireland vol. was published by Atlantic in 1995, with the "black" covers like the later D & C vols.

 

[eldomtom2]

For a detailed and well-written overview of the development of the rail network - and its social and industrial consequences - I can recommend "The Railways - Nation, Network and People" by Simon Bradley.

I remember being unimpressed - I found it rambling and personal view-laden.

For a good account of BR, try Tanya Jackson “British Rail: The Nation’s Railway”. Recent (2013?), well written, text-heavy and well argued.

Surely the fairly definitive account of BR is Gourvish's massive two-volume history?

 

[anothertyke]

I think the OP has to say what he/she is interested in. History of BR--- Gourvish. Best books on operational management ---Fiennes, I Tried to Run a Railway, Hardy, Steam in the Blood.

I like books by steam drivers of which there are many. But then it depends on whether you are a Western, Southern, Eastern or LMS person. Two of the best to my taste in that genre are Through the links at Crewe by Piccolo Pete Johnson (2 vols) culminating in firing the Duchesses on the Glasgow and Perth turns.

 

[yorksrob]

Fiennes is definitely worth a read. In some ways he's very forward thinking. In others, he's s Beeching man, however he gives a great account of the era.

 

[Sir Felix Pole]

Of the old-time authors O.S. ('Ossie') Nock churned out an awful lot of pap (often recycled) to order - 'Mills & Boon' stuff of the railway publishing world if you will. To be fair, some of his more serious works like 'Britain's New Railway' (WCML rebuilding and electrification) are worth reading.

C.J.Allen is more authoritative - specialist subjects loco performance and Swiss Rlys - but his writing style and attitudes are a bit jarring to the modern reader. H.A. Vallance - specialist subjects Scottish and Irish Rlys - produced a number of good histories. His 'Railway Holiday in Northern Sweden and Norway' book inspired me to first visit many years ago.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Of the old-time authors O.S. ('Ossie') Nock churned out an awful lot of pap (often recycled) to order - 'Mills & Boon' stuff of the railway publishing world if you will. To be fair, some of his more serious works like 'Britain's New Railway' (WCML rebuilding and electrification) are worth reading.

C.J.Allen is more authoritative - specialist subjects loco performance and Swiss Rlys - but his writing style and attitudes are a bit jarring to the modern reader. H.A. Vallance - specialist subjects Scottish and Irish Rlys - produced a number of good histories. His 'Railway Holiday in Northern Sweden and Norway' book inspired me to first visit many years ago.

That made me laugh about Ossie Nock being the "Mills and Boon" of the publishing world , and CJ having a slightly jarring personality. They were obvious competitors in an uncrowded world ! - both of course railway engineers , and probably missing the very human touch of Gerry Fiennes and perhaps C Hamilton-Ellis.

Went to a lecture by O S Nock in Bridgend many years ago on his favourite railway - the GWR - we expected great things but he made the subject as dry and dust , illiustrated very un innovatively of Swindon locos in battleship grey in works. 2 out of 10. Max.

 

[Cowley]

I think as the OP hasn’t been back we’ll put a hold on this for the time being.

Thanks everyone