The Story of the Cambrian

Four engines brought by road to an isolated stretch of track mark the modest beginnings of the Cambrian Railways. C. P. Gasquoine follows the Welsh railway's growth from the line between Newtown and Llanidloes into a system reaching the coast and linking numerous local branches. His account draws on newspaper records, company papers and the recollections of officials and employees. Separate chapters follow different sections of the network, bringing financial difficulties and the people behind the railway into the story.

Along Cardigan Bay, building a railway means contending with high tides, unstable riverbeds and cliffs that leave little room for track. Gasquoine describes ferry connections before the coastal lines were joined and the unusual arrangements at Dovey Junction, whose facilities span three counties. Readers interested in Welsh local history or railway engineering will find practical obstacles, company negotiations and everyday transport details woven into this account of regional change.