Minor Railways of East Anglia: Development Demise and Destiny

Rob Shorland-Ball's book "Minor Railways of East Anglia" explores the history of small railways in the region, highlighting their social and business significance. By the 1950s and 60s, they were rarely used, so he recorded their stories before they were forgotten. Some track beds have survived and flourished with new usage as restored heritage railways, footpaths, and cycleways.

Format: Hardback
Length: 144 pages
Publication date: 17 September 2020
Publisher: Pen & Sword Books Ltd

Rob Shorland-Ball, a former teacher with a natural talent for storytelling, possesses a deep understanding of the strong local loyalties prevalent in East Anglia. Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex are regarded as distinct, separate, and independent areas by their residents. When the author worked in Suffolk, he explained that he hailed from Cambridge, which he considered the gateway to East Anglia. An elderly Suffolk man, to whom he was conversing, paused for a moment before asserting with undeniable finality, "Here in Suffolk, if Cambridge exists at all, it is merely a back door, seldom used." The minor railways depicted in this book once served as bustling transportation links, making significant contributions to the social and business heritage of the regions they traversed. By the 1950s and 60s, when the author explored them, they were rarely utilized, necessitating the need to document their stories and preserve them from complete obscurity. To bring this book up to date, the final section is titled "Destiny," as some of the track beds have survived and thrived with new uses as restored heritage railways, footpaths, and cycleways, while one route has transformed into a busy busway.

Weight: 956g
Dimension: 286 x 224 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781526744814