The authoritative and fascinating history of the rise and fall of the stateowned British RailWolmars book is impeccably organised and makes a fast enjoyable read THE TIMES Literary SupplementBritish Rail wasnt how were asked to remember it . . .From ancient rolling stock to patchy service stale sandwiches to the wrong kind of snow British Rail our last great stateowned organisation to be privatised has received a terrible press.But after its controversial 1948 creation British Rail was actually an innovative powerhouse that over five decades transformed the UK creating one of the fastest regular rail services in the world.Awardwinning journalist Christian Wolmar takes us from promise to punchline exploring British Rails birth into postwar austerity the many battles and struggles to evolve what many considered to be a dinosaur and how at the height of its success the service was misunderstood and unfairly maligned ruthlessly broken up and privatised.Praise for Christian WolmarWolmar is the high priest of railway studies Literary ReviewThe greatest expert on British trains GuardianOur most eminent transport journalist SpectatorIf the worlds railways have a laureate it is surely Christian Wolmar Boston Globe Christian Wolmar is in love with the railways. He writes constantly and passionately about them. He is their wisest most detailed historian and a constant prophet of their rebirth . . . if you love the hum of the wheels and of history then Christian Wolmar is your man Observer