Abandoned and Vanished Railways of Leicestershire and Rutland

Leicestershire and Rutland have a rich railway heritage. Some the earliest railways in the world were built here and by the 1920s, Leicestershire had one of the densest rail networks of any English county. But from the 1950s onward the branch lines closed, and in 1969 even the main line of the mighty Great Central Railway closed. Today viaducts march across valleys carrying footpaths instead of steam trains, stations have been converted into houses or industrial estates, and cuttings slice dramatically through hills. Three of the closed lines have reopened as heritage railways, running steam excursions for tourists and locals. This book will look at each of the vanished or abandoned lines in turn. It will outline their construction and history, then look at the line as it is today. This volume will be an invaluable aid to those who go in search of the Abandoned and Vanished Railways of Leicestershire and Rutland.

Rupert Matthews is a freelance historian who has written over a hundred books for adults and children, mostly on history subjects. He is also known as a consultant to movies and TV shows, both in the UK and the USA - and had his own TV series on L!VE TV.