The South Wales Direct Line: History and Working

A history of the Great Western Railway's direct line from London to South Wales—an ideal resource for anyone with an interest in this important British railway

With a focus on those who worked the line, this history shows how the line developed and includes the "Badminton" line route and all the stations and junctions between Patchway and the Severn Tunnel. Hundreds of color and black and white photographs are included, as well as route and stations maps. Rendall details its history, from the opening of the London-Bristol line in 1841 to the building of the Severn Tunnel. He also covers the duties of those who staffed the stations, signal boxes, and goods yards, as well as the upgrade of 1975, when the South Wales Direct Line became the first dedicated high-speed rail line. Finally, Randall considers the future of the line: the South Wales Direct Line is looking to upgrade to high-speed electric trains in 2017.