The Glorious Years of the GNR Great Northern Railway

The Great Northern Railway was formed in the mid-1840s and was instrumental in connecting London with the eastern half of England, the North East, and Scotland. It was able to innovate in several areas, with developments in locomotive design, carriage construction, and services offered. The Glorious Years of the GNR presents over 250 superb black-and-white images of the company's locomotives, coaching stock, and stations, which range from the grand terminus at Kings Cross to humble buildings serving small villages. The centenary of the company's demise provides a welcome opportunity to reflect on this distant, yet great period.

Format: Hardback
Length: 176 pages
Publication date: 01 June 2023
Publisher: Great Northern Books Ltd

One hundred years have passed since the dissolution of the Great Northern Railway, a company formed in the mid-1840s with a significant role in connecting London with the eastern half of England, the North East, and Scotland. Over time, the GNR expanded its operations into other parts of the country, including Nottinghamshire and West Yorkshire. The GNR successfully served the population for nearly a century, innovating in various areas such as locomotive design, carriage construction, and services offered.

The Glorious Years of the GNR showcases these areas through over 250 superb black-and-white images, accompanied by informative captions. The locomotives of renowned engineers like Archibald Sturrock, Patrick Stirling, H.A. Ivatt, and H.N. Gresley (later Sir) are featured in scenes from across the GNR's network. The company's coaching stock, ranging from six-wheelers to articulated suburban and main line trains, is also presented.

Doncaster, considered the most important place on the GNR, is given special attention, with scenes depicting the workforce, construction of the Crimpsall Repair Shop, and women war workers during the Great War. A small section is dedicated to the GNR's stations, which varied from grand termini like Kings Cross to humble buildings serving small villages. While some of these stations have been lost over time, they evoke a sense of a time when a high standard of service was expected and offered rather than the cost-saving and utilitarian facilities of the present.

In an era before the motor car, when the world was horse-drawn, the GNR played a crucial role in connecting people and communities, fostering economic growth and promoting social mobility. Its legacy continues to be celebrated and remembered, and the Glorious Years of the GNR serves as a testament to the company's contributions to the history of rail transportation.

Dimension: 273 x 215 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781914227455