East London Railways

Malcolm Batten examines the way in which the railways of East London have changed and developed over the years, bringing the story right up to date with the introduction of Crossrail.

This pictorial book covers London's railways from 1967 to 1977, showing the transition from steam to diesel and electric traction. This volume has a very readable narrative, telling tales of the authors adventures during his many trips around the London railway network. The volume encapsulates a period of time in Britain, during which a great deal of change was taking place, not only with railways and transport, but also socially and economically. Jim Blake, describes all of these changes, while also looking at the capitals transport scene of the period.

This book provides a comprehensive study of the planning and building of railways in London’s Docklands, reflecting on the past 180 years of railway development. It describes the creation of the enclosed working docks at the start of the 19th Century and the introduction of railways in the middle of the century. By the 1970’s the decline of the working docks led to a plethora of plans to regenerate the area, but with little agreement on what should be done. The setting up of the London Docklands Development Corporation by the former Secretary of State for the Environment Lord Heseltine was a significant landmark, expediting the Canary Wharf development. The book describes in detail the modern railway projects, created to support the subsequent growing employment and population of the area, including the Docklands Light Railway with its multiple extensions, the Jubilee Line extension and Crossrail/Elizabeth Line. The book will appeal to a wide audience. To railway enthusiasts who wish to learn more about the why and the how such projects are approved and built and to transport and planning professionals who wish to understand more about the ups and downs of the relationship between transport and development and the decision making processes. within changing political, economic and employment scenarios. The end result has provided Docklands with a comprehensive hierarchy of quality transport services, to match anyway in the world.