British Rail

The authoritative and fascinating history of the rise and fall of the state-owned British Rail

''Wolmar''s book is impeccably organized and makes a fast, enjoyable read'' THE TIMES Literary Supplement
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You think you know British Rail.But you don''t know the whole story.

From its creation after the Second World War, through its fifty-year lifetime, British Rail was an innovative powerhouse that transformed our transport system. Uniting disparate lines into a highly competent organisation - heralding ''The Age of the Train'' - and, for a time, providing one of the fastest regular rail services in the world.

Born into post-war austerity, traumatised, impoverished and exploited by a hostile press, the state-owned railway was dismissed as a dinosaur unable to evolve, and swept away by a government hellbent on selling it off.

Now, award-winning writer Christian Wolmar provides a new perspective on national lo