A regional History of the Railways of Great Britain . North and mid Wales. Volume 11 .Peter E Baughan

A REGIONAL HISTORY OF THE RAILWAYS OF GREAT BRITAIN

Volume 11 North and Mid Wales

Peter E Baughan

A thoroughly revised and updated edition of the standard history of all lines in North and Mid Wales

- of as much importance to local historians as to railways enthusiasts.

The remote fastnesses of Wild Wales', so

lovingly depicted by the mid-Victorian traveller and author George Borrow, were opened up and developed largely as a result of the mainly locally inspired railway network which thrust its tentacles into almost every valley in that mountainous country. Around the coast the railways hastened the development of what became major seaside resorts to an extent that those on the north coast were almost dormitories for the cotton city of Manchester. Holyhead meanwhile expanded into a major cross-channel port on the short sea route to Ireland, its rail link carried over Stephenson's great bridges.

But while most of the delightfully individual branch lines, and even some of the main routes, are now no more, one can still travel the magnificent coastal route of the Irish Mail from Chester to Holyhead, take the Cambrian main line to Machynlleth and south to Aberystwyth, or north to wilheli, and savour the sweeping strides of the Central Wales route south through the mountains to Llandovery and on to Swansea. Some of the many narrow gauge railways, constructed for slate or agriculture, survive through the devotion of enthusiasts to be a considerable tourist asset -

"The Great Little Trains of Wales'. Latterly their success has encouraged some standard gauge revivals.

This volume recounts the railway history of this richly varied region from Borrow's time to the present day, set against the social, economic, and geographical background.