Heyday of the Somerset and Dorset Railway

Alan Hammond's last five books on the Somerset & Dorset Railway have all been runaway successes. This sixth volume in the series follows the proven pattern of the previous books with the emphasis on the people who worked on the railway as much as on the locomotives and buildings. The book is arranged around the three constituent parts of the line, the Somerset Central, the Bath Extension and the Dorset Central, each with a charming introduction to its history and operation. Again there are accounts of working on the line, of firemen struggling to cross the Mendips, of children enjoying rides on the footplate, of people going about their daily lives using the railway, of pranks and fun, accidents and strange happenings. It is typical of the S&D that a travelling goat should eat all the luggage labels. These stories are accompanied by some of the most fascinating photographs yet assembled, most never seen before. Prince Michael of Kent, a keen engine driver himself, has written the foreword and there are delightful contributions in each section from singers Tony Christie (Is This the Way to Amarillo?) and Gary Brooker (founder of the rock band Procul Harum), both of whom recall their childhood trainspotting days, and from Michael Eavis (of Glastonbury Festival fame) whose Worthy Farm straddled the line, and who provides some delightful memories of his early courtship days using the S&D