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The Railways of Manchester: The Evolution & Development of the City's Railways
Platform 5

The Railways of Manchester: The Evolution & Development of the City's Railways

£40.00 £0.00

POST FREE to UK addresses, immediate dispatch

This comprehensive volume is a new history of the railway network that has grown up to serve the great industrial city of Manchester. It begins with the earliest railways built to serve the growing industry in and around the city, including both narrow- and standard-gauge railways.

It then turns to the development of the main line railway network, looking at every 19th century railway company that served the city and describing the evolution that gave rise to today’s modern railway network. Chapters examine each of the following:

  • The Railways that comprised the London & North Western Railway
  • The Development of the LNWR
  • The Railways that were jointly owned by the LNWR
  • The Railways that comprised the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway
  • The Development of the L&YR
  • The Railways that comprised the Great Central Railway
  • The Railways that comprised the Midland Railway
  • The Railways that comprised the Cheshire Lines Committee
  • The Great Northern Railway
  • The 1923–1947 Grouping Era
  • The Creation and Development of British Railways (1948–1997)
  • The Closures of the BR Era
  • The Privatisation Era
  • Metrolink

The Railways of Manchester examines the innovation and upheaval of the Victorian era, describing how different railway companies fought to gain a foothold in the city. It looks at the Grouping years, when the LMS and LNER both retained a presence in the city, and goes on to describe post-war austerity and the subsequent closures, many of which proved to be sadly misguided.

Finally, the book turns to the railway of the 21st century, with its privatised operators, modern urban trams and heritage railways.

As well as an historical account, The Railways of Manchester also looks in depth at some of the impressive infrastructure and the train services that have operated to, from and through the city over a period of nearly 200 years. Further chapters include:

  • The Termini
  • The Through Stations
  • The Depots
  • The Builders
  • Steam Trains
  • Electric Trains
  • Diesel Trains
  • Accidents
  • The Present Situation
  • Proposed and Failed Schemes
  • Preservation and Heritage Sites

The Railways of Manchester is a comprehensive account of two centuries of rail transport, providing a fascinating insight into how the railways have helped to shape this great city.

The information is brought to life by more than 350 photographs, diagrams, maps and other illustrations, including many historically important images and some stunning aerial views. Many of the subjects illustrated have long since disappeared as the photographs depict scenes from as early as the 1850s.

Hardback, 272 pages, over 350 black & white and colour illustrations, maps 

ISBN: 9781909431843

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Shipping to the European Union

From 1 July 2021, all EU countries will be imposing VAT on all imports. In the UK, books are zero-rated for VAT proposes so there is no VAT to deduct from the prices quoted on our website. All of our orders are usually sent "DDU" (Delivered Duty Unpaid) using a courier service and the shipping prices quoted are on a DDU basis. However, we are now able to offer limited "DDP" (Delivered Duty Paid) services to certain EU destinations. If you would like to purchase books on a DDP basis, please contact us before making your purchase and we will give you a DDP price.

Therefore all DDU shipments to EU destinations will be held by the relevant customs authority until the customer pays any VAT that is due. We understand that if no payment is received by the relevant customs authority after 30 days, the package will be either returned or destroyed. Rail-Books will not be liable for any loss resulting from the destruction or return of goods where VAT has not been paid.

We recommend that customers in the EU follow the tracking data supplied to them once we dispatch your parcel and once the parcel is showing as arriving in the destination country, make contact with either the postal or customs authorities to pay the appropriate amounts of tax/duty.

Returned Parcels

On rare occasions, parcels will be returned to us. Where this happens we will refund the customer the cost of their order less any expenses incurred by ourselves (e.g. the initial cost of sending the parcel or costs relating to damage incurred in transit). If a customer requests that a parcel be shipped again for a second time, we request the customer to place a repeat order together with shipping costs. Repeat orders to UK customers will not be eligible for free shipping. 

Updated: 29 December 2022