April 18th 2025
NEW BOOK CELEBRATES 200 YEARS OF RAILWAYS IN THE NORTH
This year Britain is celebrating 200 years of train travel – and it all started in the North!
To mark this important anniversary, Kents Bank Station Library has launched NORTHERN RAIL HERITAGE: an introduction to the social history of railways in the North of England.
It’s a readable introduction to the exciting history of railways – from the early days of the Stockton and Darlington through to the railways of today – with a glimpse to the future.
The short book is written by Professor Paul Salveson and includes a foreword by Railways Minister Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill. The book design is by Peter Skellon.
Lord Hendy says: “the railway changed the face of the North and the lives of everyone who has lived there; and despite gloomy predictions, it has survived (and helped win) two world wars, the growth of motoring, recessions, Beeching and more recently Covid. “
He added “It’s wonderful that trains still run over the tracks of the original Stockton and Darlington Railway (1825) and the Liverpool and Manchester Railway (1830)….. the railway is very much a part of the living heritage of the North. The train operations of today are part of a fine tradition, which included the great companies that formed the London Midland and Scottish and London and North Eastern Railways and went on to become British Railways.”
The book has been sponsored by train operator CrossCountry. Georgia Ehrmann, Regional Director for CrossCountry’s West Midlands & North West region, said at a special event at Manchester’s Piccadilly
station: “It’s a pleasure to support the book as part of our Customer and Communities Investment Fund, helping to raise awareness and appreciation of the history of our railways – during the same year as the 200th anniversary of the first passenger railway.” She added “We’re proud to support the communities served by our network and beyond – not just through our train services but also by lending support to valuable projects like the Kents Bank Station Library.”
Paul Salveson said “This is our contribution to the wonderful celebrations of Railway 200 this year. We’re incredibly grateful to CrossCountry for the generous support they have given us; without them we would not have been able to publish the book at what is a very affordable price.”
This is the first publication of Kents Bank Library, a not-for-profit community interest company (CIC) which runs the unique railway library and bookshop on Kents Bank Station.
Publication date is April 14th. MORE: 07795 008691
THE BOOK: Northern Rail Heritage: an introduction to the social history of railways in the North of England are available price £5 from Kents Bank Station Library, cheques for £8 (including post and packing) to Kents Bank Library, c/o Station House, Kentsford Road, Grange-over-Sands LA11 7BB. ISBN 978-1-0683741-0-4. Multiple copies are avilable to local schools across the North free of charge.
Leave a Reply