Life on the Old Railways

Drivers, signalmen, stationmasters and more share their stories of working on steam trains.

Take a step back into the world of steam railways, and discover the reality of life and work on Britain's railway system before the Beeching cuts and the introduction of diesel changed it forever. Tom Quinn has sought out a fascinating range of characters who recount their experiences of working on steam trains. From a shedmaster to a fireman, from an engine driver to a signalman, tales of accidents and mishaps, evenings round the fire in the worker's common room, and the perils of left luggage in the days when almost anything might—and frequently did—turn up! These remarkable reminiscences paint a vivid picture of life on the old railways when Britain's railway system was the envy of the world.