In the heyday of the railway age Gloucestershire had a bustling railway network. Many thriving industries including farming, quarrying, coal and iron mining, and timber production for the shipbuilding and charcoal industries depended on the railways.

Step back in time to the golden age of railways. This is the story of Gloucestershire's once-thriving rail network; a network of passenger and freight lines that criss-crossed the county at the turn of the 20th century. The first long-distance main line to arrive in the county was the Birmingham & Gloucester which opened in 1840. This was soon followed by the Swindon via Stroud and the Bristol to Gloucester lines, and in 1851 the South Wales Railway between Gloucester, Chepstow and Newport was opened. These main lines are still with us today, but what of the other 250 miles of lines that were built with hope and enthusiasm?In this meticulously researched book, Stan Yorke brings to life the county's railways and describes the reasons for their construction and for their subsequent closure. Modern photographs accompany those from earlier times. These, together with specially drawn maps, will help the enthusiast to explore some of the old lines and stations that have survived.