On The Slow Train: Twelve Great British Railway Journeys

Michael Williams

Apr 2010 · Random House

About this ebook

'A trip back in time' DAILY TELEGRAPH

A love of railways, a love of history, a love of nostalgia.
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Get ready to board the slow train to another era, to a time when travel meant more than hurrying from one place to the next. On the Slow Train will reconnect you with that long-missed need for escape, and reminds us to lift our heads from the daily grind and remember that there are still places in Britain where we can take the time to stop and stare.

This book is a paean to another age: before milk churns, train porters and cats on seats were replaced by security announcements and Burger King wrappers. These 12 spectacular journeys will help free us from what Baudelaire denounced as 'the horrible burden of time.'
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'Captivating' SUNDAY EXPRESS

'Deep in our soul, the railways represent an idyll that we love' INDEPENDENT

'A magical world, barely changed since the golden age of rail' DAILY MAIL

'Superb' RAILYWAY MAGAZINE

'Memory lane . . . An intriguing social snapshot' HERITAGE RAILWAY

Ratings and reviews

Beautifully written, an engrossing read about some of the almost forgotten backwaters of the railway network in Britain. I couldn't put it down.

About the author

Michael Williams writes widely on railways for many publications, including the Daily Mail, The Independent, the Independent on Sunday, the New Statesman, The Oldie and the railway specialist press. He is a veteran Fleet Street journalist, having held many senior positions, including Deputy Editor of the Independent on Sunday, Executive Editor of the Independent and Head of News at The Sunday Times. He is currently Senior Lecturer in the School of Journalism, Media and Communication at the University of Central Lancashire. He commutes regularly by train on the 440-mile return journey between his home in London's Camden Town and his office at Preston in Lancashire.