No 5 The West Midlands (British Railways Past and Present)

‘British Railways Past and Present’ is a highly successful series that is extending across the whole of Britain. In this volume John Whitehouse and Geoff Dowling focus on the extensive railway network of the West Midlands. There are a wealth of photographs of railway locations taken several decades ago which are compared with the present day scene. In addition, the authors provide captions on aspects such as the locomotive and rolling stock, people and landscapes. The contrasts are often dramatic, where perhaps a housing estate or supermarket has replaced a busy railway junction; sometimes though it's the case that hardly anything alters in 30 or 40 years! Whatever the change, the comparison of ‘past’ and ‘present’ will intrigue not only the railway enthusiast and local historian, but also anyone interested in the rich past of the West Midlands. This volume features contrasting photographs of over 95 locations including Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Coventry, Rugby, Leamington, Bromsgrove and Worcester. The lines featured include; * Lines through Birmingham New Street and Snow Hill * The Wolverhampton area * Black Country lines to West Bromwich, Dudley and Stourbridge * The Severn Valley Railway * Midland lines from Bromsgrove to Burton-upon-Trent * The Trent Valley line from Rugby to Stafford * North Warwickshire, Cotswold and Stratford-upon-Avon.