The Beaten Track

AUTHOR: Andy Chard

PUBLISHER: Platform 5 Publishing

PRICE: £32.95

WEBSITE: www.platform5.com

AS PART of my job I am regularly sent new books for review, with many following a tried and tested format. However, some books stand out from the crowd for their sheer content and quality. This is one of those books.

With a sub-title of ‘The traction and extremities of Britain’s rail network 1970-1985’, The Beaten Track is the latest book to be compiled by Andy Chard for Platform 5 Publishing.

Featuring the work of just four photographers, this may sound as though it could limit the potential of the content, but all contributing photographers were prolific getting around the rail network, capturing many scenes and locations that have now been consigned to history, or which have changed forever. The book takes you a photographic journey around the country – and it’s a very pleasant journey indeed. There are 260 excellent colour photographs, all of which are accompanied by fully detailed captions, providing all the information you could possibly need. Photo reproduction is excellent and the book is well designed and laid out.

The Beaten Track is as much a tribute to the excellent work of the photographers – Ian Mortimer, Geoff Plumb, Stephen C Marshall, and Railways Illustrated contributor Gordon Edgar – as it is to our railway network and the trains pictured.

The 176-page hardback book is priced at £32.95, which is very reasonable for the quality of the content. This is far more than a photo-book, and I have found myself flicking through the pages regularly since I received it. Buy a copy – you won’t be disappointed.

(AMC)