Principles of Railway Operation

I took delivery of a new book yesterday, "Principles of Railway Operation" by John Glover, published by Ian Allan. It surprised me (an old cynic) in that it was really rather good, especially for those who want to expand their understanding of the industry and how it works (or not).

It is written in an easily readable style, with humour and understanding, by someone who knows the industry well and who has written many books about it. It also has a series of case studies throughout the book that show how the railway works in real life and the sorts of things we are up against when we try to get the job done. It shows too, what can be achieved when the will to make it work is shared by all and support from the stakeholders is available.

It has lots of photos and graphics with captions that add explanations and inform but, being critical, I should say that some of the graphics are not as sharp as they should be and that a map would be appropriate in some places. Also, the price is a hefty £25 but, if you are an enthusiast, an outsider, or someone within the industry who wants to be better informed about the railway business through a book, written by an expert, that reads well and offers intelligent insight, it's worth it.