Product Description

Simply the best guide to railway preservation in Britain today; a must have for all enthusiasts.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #119827 in Books
• Published on: 2009-03-05
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

Customer Reviews

Railways Restored 2009
A most comprehensive listing of preserved railways in the British Isles. Obviously a few sites may be missing as their owners may be unco-operative. A full description of the site's facilities, geographical location, timetables etc., is clearly displayed, and the lists of all types of locomotives on site are very accurate. Inevitably, I found a few confusing details especially where locomotives are on loan to another railway or museum. For the enthusiast or interested visitor this book is great value.

Schoolboy hobby, schoolboy errors
Of all the publications detailing heritage railways, this annual work is consistently the best. However, I find myself wondering exactly what qualifies to be included here.

The editor's notes state that it is "a guide to the major heritage railways, railway museums and preservation centres in the British Isles", but give no indication of what is meant by major. It includes most (but not all) standard gauge heritage railways, together with a number of smaller gauge lines. However, it would be wrong for readers to get the impression that there are not hundreds of other such lines in the British Isles (including miniature railways, a few of which are included here) for which space does not permit inclusion. Perhaps a simple, but complete, list of these would enhance future editions.

Where space is restricted, and many worthy candidates are excluded, I do wonder why such things as Haig Colliery Mining Museum, National Waterways Museum and Paddle Steamer Preservation Society are deemed to be of major significance, whatever definition is used.

My main problem with the book though, is some lack of attention to detail in basic areas. It is surely not unreasonable to expect a book which details 208 attractions to have 208 locations shown on the map included therein, but no! Five locations have been omitted entirely, and one appears in Scotland that is not in the text at all.

The list of members of Britain's Great Little Railways is woefully out of date. Indeed, this list just seems to be reproduced each year without any attempt at updating. Furthermore, it cross references the Exmoor Steam Railway to the main section of the book, where it does not appear at all, owing to its temporary closure.

There is even a problem with the index of the book in that the main body of the book lists items by their up-to-date names, whereas the index still uses some names from previous years.

Yes, this is the best publication of its kind and I commend it to both heritage railway enthusiasts, and those with just a passing interest in the subject, alike. It is a shame though, that a book connected with an old traditional schoolboy hobby should include these schoolboy errors. Don't rest on your laurels Alan C Butcher, improvements can be made.

Preserved Railways
I was very pleased to receive my copy of this book last week.
I would strongly recommend this book to every steam railway
enthusiast. This is the Bible of Preserved Railways and is second to none
Allan Plumb