S.K.Baker
Rail Atlas Great Britain & Ireland.
Crecy Publishing Ltd – Manchester
15th edition 2020 First published in 1977
152 Pages ISBN 978 0 86093 681 7
There is something about maps which we all find fascinating, both as works of art, or as geographical representations.
Yet they are also very important reference works.
The Rail Atlas
Unlike most maps or rail passenger maps, this work includes the following: –
– Private lines and depots.
– Proposed railway lines.
– Heritage Railway lines.
&
– Ferry routes with the names of the shipping lines.
That includes both passenger and freight shipping lines.
It also includes an Electrification Map.
Across the Channel
The Rail and Ferry connections across the English Channel are very detailed.
This includes the following: –
– The Channel Tunnel lines at Ashford and to the north of Folkstone.
– The Various Ferry routes from Ramsgate and Dover.
&
– All the various lines around Calais.
Of Particular interest to Activists
MOD Lines
What many individuals do not realise is just how many MOD [military] railway lines and depots there are.
These include such places as : –
– Ludgershall [ Tidworth ]
– Longtown
&
– Glen Douglas
There are also the better know line in the Devonport dockyard near Plymouth.
Nukiller Waste
Anti nukiller power activists are concerned with the movement of highly radioactive used fuel rods transported by DRS [ Direct Rail Services ] along the main railway lines.
This includes the branch lines which go to the various reactor sites.
There is for example a short line in to Torness, a Goods & Nuclear Waste Terminal to the south of Thurso in North East Scotland, and the Ashford to Dungeness line.
DRS has depots at both Crewe and Carlisle.
Yet the most interesting and least well known line is from Sellafield to the ‘Low lever’ nukiller waste dump at Drigg in Cumbria.
While the Sellafield / Windscale plant has a number of sidings which are shown in the atlas.
Anyone
Anyone who is interested in knowing more about all the various rail lines which could be better used for the carrying of passengers, and goods, should have a copy of this atlas.
At £20 it is extremely good value for money.