Liverpool & Manchester Railway Atlas

By Joe Brown (hardback, Crecy Publishing, 256pp, £30, ISBN 978-086093-687-9) WITH the fifth edition of his benchmark London Railway Atlas just published, the author has impressed again with this definitive atlas, not only of the railways and tramways in and around the two cities, but with an extended remit as far afield as Blackpool, Preston, Blackburn, Burnley, Chester and Buxton.

Detailed diagrams explain and unravel every route both in the old county of Lancashire and surrounding areas. Accompanying each map are a brief history of each route and details of exact opening and closing dates of lines, stations and significant individual features such as extensions. Larger diagrams highlight the complex siding arrangements serving major stations, railway works, docks and industrial concerns.

For anyone who has more than a passing interest in this region’s network, this starts out as being an essential reference work and just gets better from there on.

PHENOMENAL HISTORICAL CARTOGRAPY