The John Muir Trail (JMT) is one of North America’s most celebrated long-distance treks, stretching approximately 348km (216 miles) through the high peaks of California’s Sierra Nevada from Yosemite Valley to Whitney Portal. Taking around three weeks to complete, this epic route links granite domes, alpine lakes, towering passes, and spectacular wilderness scenery as it crosses three famous national parks — Yosemite, Kings Canyon, and Sequoia.This trusted Cicerone ...

Discover the Southern Upland Way (215 miles/347km), Scotland’s pioneering coast-to-coast trail traversing the entire width of the Southern Uplands from Portpatrick on the Irish Sea to Cockburnspath on the North Sea. This remarkable route weaves through moorland, high hills, wooded river valleys, and striking coastal scenery, offering ever-changing landscapes and a wealth of hidden gems along the way.Ideal for seasoned trekkers and adventurous newcomers alike, the S...

The year of 1968 was a pivotal year in a period of great change and, with the march of so-called "progress" that included man being a matter of months away from walking on the moon, the time was up for steam. The first week of August was to see the closure of the final three depots - effectively drawing to a conclusion the century and a half of loyal service provided by a form of transport to which the wealth of our nation owed so much. The steam era ended so poignantly on 4th Au...

**'A magnificent, rollicking narrative' Max Hastings, Sunday Times 'Top 25 Non-Fiction Books of the 21st Century'Sunday Times History Book of the Year 2015Britain's railways have been a vital part of national life for nearly 200 years. Transforming lives and landscapes, they have left their mark on everything from timekeeping to tourism. As a self-contained world governed by distinctive rules and traditions, the network also exert...

As Britain moved from austerity to prosperity in the 1950s and 1960s, it became clear that British Railways needed to modernise its equipment and rationalise its network if it was to hold its own in the face of growing competition from road and air transport.After attempting to maintain pre-war networks and technology in the 1950s, a reversal of policy in the 1960s brought line closures, new liveries and the last breath of steam, as Dr Beeching and his successors s...

In the heroic days of rail travel, you could dine on kippers and champagne aboard the Brighton Belle; smoke a post-prandial cigar as the Golden Arrow closed in on Paris, or be shaved by the Flying Scotsman's on-board barber. Everyone from schoolboys to socialites knew of these glamorous 'named trains' and aspired to ride aboard them.In Belles and Whistles, Andrew Martin recreates these famous train journeys by travelling aboard their nearest modern day equivalents. Sometim...

A biography of the nineteenth-century Englishman who was " one of the most ingenious and prolific figures in engineering history" ( Nature).Civil and mechanical engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel's accomplishments were extraordinary—involving the Great Western Railway, the SS Great Britain, the Clifton Suspension Bridge, prefabricated hospital buildings for use during the Crimean War, and more. Born in Portsmouth in 1806, he followe...

The Flying Scotsman is probably the most famous railway locomotive in the world. It first caused a sensation for its beauty and its speed in 1923, and it soon became a national icon. The fastest and most comfortable way of travelling between London and Scotland, The Flying Scotsman only got faster and more luxurious as competition from other routes, airlines, and the motor car threatened. From 1928 it began running non-stop, an achievement that earned it yet more attention. This superbly i...

Central to the prompt delivery of the nation's mail is its efficient transit throughout the country.From 1830, the Post Office relied increasingly on the overland rail network to achieve this, with Railway Post Offices, Sunday Sorting Tenders and District Sorting Carriages among the services introduced. More important lines carried the famous 'Night Mail' carriages, rarely seen by the public, other than those seeking out the late-night facility of posting directly ...

ISAMBARD KINGDOM BRUNEL is famous for the engineering wonders he left behind - from the SS Great Britain to the delights of Paddington and Temple Meads stations, but much of what he designed has been lost. From the ships Great Western and Great Eastern to the majestic water towers of Crystal Palace, the Hungerford Bridge and the South Devon atmospheric railway, many of Brunel's achievements have been lost to rebuilding, fire, neglect and scrapping. What survives of some of these structures...

From hauling the first non-stop express from London to Edinburgh in 1928 and breaking the 100mph barrier in 1934, to being sold in 1963, and to its final home at the York National Railway Centre, The Flying Scotsman has a rich and, at times, controversial history.It has travelled across the USA and steamed across Australia, changed owners and color and sold for the highest price ever paid for a locomotive. Relive the great age of steam and follow the making of the legend that is apple gree...

Redcar, Marske & Saltburn Through Time is a wonderful collection of old and new photographs of this historic area of Yorkshire. The older images are printed alongside a contemporary full colour photograph, which illustrates the same scene. The contrasting illustrations show how the area has changed and developed during the last 100 years. The photographs illustrate shops, schools, garages, churches, houses and street scenes, each photograph is captioned and the book has an introduction whi...