Railways Of Leicestershire And Rutland

It provides a comprehensive visual record of the changing railway scene in the area which will be welcomed by all with connections to the two counties as well as those with an interest in the history of the railways of the East Midlands.

Presented in an illustrated format, this book traces the history of the area's railway lines from their opening in the 19th century and, in many cases, their closure in the 20th century.

Looking at the contemporary rail scene of the county of Leicestershire. Looking at the variety of traffic at work on the county’s main lines.

Jack Simmons, perhaps more than any other single scholar, is responsible for the advancement of the academic study of transport history. As well as being a co-founder of the Journal of Transport History, he wrote extensively on a variety of transport-related topics and was instrumental in developing the London Transport and the National Railway museums. Whilst his death in September 2000 at the age of 85 was a sad loss to the world of transport history, the achievements of his life, celebrated in this festschrift, remain a lasting legacy to succeeding generations of scholars in many fields. Concentrating on the theme of the railways, and how they dramatically affected the development of Britain and her society, this collection touches on numerous issues first highlighted by Professor Simmons which are now central to academic study. These include the men who built the railways, those who financed the enterprise, how the railways affected such everyday issues as tourism, the arts, and politics, as well as the lasting legacy of the railways in a country now dominated by the private car. This volume written by former friends, students and colleagues of Professor Simmons reflects these interests, and provides a fitting tribute to one of the truly great British historians of the twentieth century.