This is James Waite’s second book for Pen & Sword about narrow gauge railways. He has travelled extensively in search of interesting, and often obscure, railways in remote locations. His previous book looked at the narrow gauge scene around the world and how many of its historic railways were surviving in the twenty first century. This new volume looks at some of them in greater detail and uses much hitherto unpublished material. The book is full of attractive and rarely seen photos. Some of them depict railways that were in their last days of everyday use, while others show heritage operations which still look much as they did when the trains were running commercially.
The Ypres sector of the Western Front was held predominantly by the British and Dominions Armies from 1914 to 1918. The Ypres Salient, at the centre of this sector, was one of the most intensively fought over single locations of the First World War. By the end of 1917 the sector was full of railways, dumps, camps, and other facilities. Much was lost in the German advance in April 1918, but from September 1918 the German Army was driven eastwards until the Armistice. Although Ypres and most of the forward areas are in Belgium, much of the support area is in northern France. In this book the meter gauge networks of both countries established before the First World War are examined, with their uses and extensions during the War. The build up of light (60cm gauge) railways from 1916 to 1918 is described, with an assessment of the contribution of both narrow gauges to the war effort. After the war the light railways in this sector were generally used only for short term clearing up and salvage. The meter gauge railways in Belgium were rebuilt or repaired. Those in France had been less affected. The story is followed to the closure of the last of these railways. This book is a companion volume to those on the Arras Sector (2015), and the Somme Sector (2018). It refers to other previous works on British, French and Belgian railways, especially during the First World War, but contains sufficient information to stand alone.
The Arras sector of the Western Front in World War I (WW1) was held partly by the British and Dominions 1st Army from September 1915, and almost wholly by the 1st and 3rd Armies from March 1916. No less than in the Ypres sector to the north and the Somme sector to the south, the struggles of the French and then British troops in this sector were pivotal to the outcome of the War. The sector included countryside in the south, but in the north a major part of the industrial and coal-mining area of northern France, around Lens and Bthune. In this book the contribution of metre and 60 cm gauge railways to the Allied war effort in this sector is examined in the context of the history of the metre gauge lines already established. The build up of light (60 cm gauge) lines from 1916 is examined in detail area by area, and the contribution of the related metre gauge lines is reassessed, from British and French sources. After the War the role of these railways in the reconstruction and recovery of this devastated region of France is described. Later the surviving part of the 60 cm gauge network served the sugar beet industry east of Arras. The history is followed through another World War to the closure of the last of these railways in 1957.The book refers to previous works on British War Department light railways in WW1, but contains sufficient general information for readers new to the subject. It also describes how to find key locations now, and how and where rolling stock can be seen. Six walks and an urban tour are included for those who wish to explore the territory in greater depth.
The Somme sector of the Western Front was held by French forces until early 1916, when the British and Dominions Third and Fourth Armies moved into the northern part, before the joint First Battle of the Somme from July to November 1916. In 1917, with the German withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line, British responsibility moved further south. By early 1918 the British Third and Fifth Armies were responsible as far south as east of Noyon. In Spring 1918 the German attack and advance from the Hindenburg Line came west almost to Amiens. However the British and French Armies finally stopped the advance, and from August 1918 drove the German Army back eastwards until the Armistice on 11 November 1918.In this book the meter gauge networks established before the First World War are examined. Then the build up of light (60cm gauge) railways, initially mainly French but later British, in 1915 and 1916, is considered, with an assessment of the contribution of these and the meter gauge lines to the war effort. With the major movements of the front line in this sector in 1917 and 1918, the response of the narrow gauge railways is considered chronologically as well as by area, in the context of overall railway policy and development. After the war the light railways contributed to the reconstruction of the devastated areas, and then in some places served the sugar beet industry. The meter gauge railways were rebuilt or repaired. The story is followed to the closure of the last of these railways in the 1960s.This book is a companion volume to Narrow Gauge in the Arras Sector (Pen & Sword Transport, 2015) by the same authors. It refers also to other previous works on British and French railways in the First World War, but contains sufficient information to stand alone. It describes how to find key locations now, and where rolling stock can be seen. Some walks are included for those who wish to explore the territory.
Railway art has existed as long as there have been Railways. Many famous names have included some aspect of railways in their paintings, notably Claude Monet and J M W Turner. This tradition has been kept alive by the formation in the UK of the Guild of Railway Artists, which now consists of over 200 artists, of which Jonathan Clay is one. Over the last few years, Jonathan has had many requests to produce his own book of pictures, and, having relented at last, this is the result.??In order to save time for his first ever railway event in 1999, he painted a series of locomotive pictures without backgrounds, intending to add the scenery later. However, they sold so well, that they became the norm, and the series of 'Locomotive Portraits' was born.
