This volume is of the ‘Picture book’ genre. As such it is beautiful, with the photographs being of frame-able quality... Because of the quality of the images, it is possible that this book may have a wider appeal beyond the railway world; perhaps to readers who simply like quality images of small steam locomotives; or want something to share with children who are fans of Thomas the Tank Engine. It is also likely to appeal to ‘generalist’ railway enthusiasts, although those with a specific interest in preserved British industrial steam locomotives in contemporary settings are likely to find it a delight. Railway modellers with a specific interest in the subject may also find it of use.
NZ Crown Mines

Beautifully illustrated book chronicling Britain's railway heritage. No one can fail to be moved by the contents of this book, it really is superb. Read the full review [link=http://www.booksmonthly.co.uk/nonfic.html]here.[/link]
Books Monthly

Where I live in North Norfolk, there is a heritage steam railway that attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists and boosts the local economy. Most people now agree that Beeching went too far in culling British Rail's lines, and overcrowded passenger trains are testament to that. This wonderful book tells how a group of enthusiasts seized the oppoertunity to perpetuate the steam railway line from Nottingham to Leicester, thus preserving Britain's steam heritage in the East Midlands. Brilliant. Read the complete review [link=http://www.booksmonthly.co.uk/nonfic.html]here.[/link]
Books Monthly

The overall result is a well-rounded account, written in an accessible style, of how over more than 65 years the railway preservation movement has grown to be the heritage sector of the railway industry. Just about every line in operation is covered to some degree together with details of a good many projects which never got off the ground. Mr Brown discusses a wide of topics including finance, marketing and governance. The last mentioned details the wide range of corporate structures, ranging from the purely commercial operations, through the PLC and supporters club approach to the mutual and co-operative, often volunteer controlled, end of the scale as typified by the K&ESR’s Company Limited by Guarantee. This is a ‘warts and all’ account and he addresses the sometimes difficult topics of relations between paid staff and volunteers and disputes between Board and workforce. He also honestly looks at such ‘unmentionables’ as volunteer antipathy towards professional general managers.. Read more
Tenterden Terrier

The major arrival this month is the first of a two-volume history of just about the bestknown narrow gauge railway around. And while we may think that the Festiniog/Ffestiniog Railway is one of the most documented lines, it has not really been subject to a detailed history of its entire life since the two-volume set produced by J I C Boyd and last reprinted in 2002. Peter Johnson is without doubt the most qualified to write such a history, having been intimately connected with the FR since the 1970s and having also written several past books on the railway, including the two volume Immortal Rails documenting the preservation history since the 1950s. Peter has made the most of many hours spent scouring archives for this new history, and also taken advantage of both the A4 format and modern high-quality printing techniques to reproduce many of the colourful original plans that were deposited in Victorian times as the railway was progressing. In fact two of the appendixes consist of maps.. Read more
Narrow Gauge World, July 2017