Britain's Lost Lines: New Uses for Former Railway Sites

In 1963, the infamous Beeching Report saw the closure of more than 2,500 stations and lifting of 5,000 miles of track. This released a large amount of land which has been put to a quite amazing array of uses. The gentle gradients are perfect as footpaths and cycleways. Stations have become refreshment stops or cycle hire premises on new leisure routes. Yards now serve as recreation sites, grassland, retail parks, or housing developments. And there are the unusual: signal boxes used as greenhouses, hen coops, and art studios; railway sheds housing mechanics; youth groups and dance studios; and, of course, much has simply become overgrown. This delightful book explores the many surprising uses for what was once a part of the busy railway network of the British Isles.