Gradient Railways of England and Wales (Key)

£29.95

In Gradient Railways of England and Wales, Kenneth Jones looks at rail lines with gradients of 1 in 100 or greater, a formidable challenge for locomotives to navigate. From the 1840s, Britain’s railway network evolved quickly to link the nation’s towns and industrial centres with cities. At the helm were the pioneers of railway engineering, who developed new methods and materials to conquer the challenges of gradient and topography they would encounter. In unison, steam locomotives evolved to power trains up steep slopes, using bankers for additional power, while braking systems were developed which restrained them as they descended the line. A train’s fireman and driver worked together to use the steam power efficiently.

Many of these lines in England and Wales are still in common usage, though their gradients are less troubling to today’s engines and passengers may barely recognise the effort, whilst others have disappeared entirely, their purpose now redundant. Many are in areas of outstanding countryside, their lineside architecture enhancing the natural environment. ‘The Long Drag’ comprising lengthy ‘up’ and ‘down’ sections on the Settle to Carlisle Railway, is perhaps the best known, its nickname acknowledging the sustained severity of the length of the climb and the motive power required. From the steepness of the Lickey Incline to the charm of the Welshpool and Llanfair Railway, and on to the popular seaside funiculars, this volume reviews a host of different rail lines. It examines their original purpose and tells the story of every build, from commission and contractor, to running each line and the motive power required.

221 colour and 272 black & white images. 89 Gradient/Incline Profiles. Hardback. 288 pages.