This is a book covering a variety of British railway disasters, and putting them in the context of broader railway history. I was impressed by the breadth – it includes accidents that were relatively minor in terms of injuries or public attention, but major for their impact on the railway industry.

I like how the book dwells on the lead-up and subsequent investigation to the accidents; not just the events themselves. Over the course of the chapters, you get a real sense of how the railways developed, and how certain types of failure were inevitable. There’s a strong narrative flow that makes it easy to read.

I took lots of notes, and I can imagine myself returning to specific chapters to remind myself of the details.

I picked this up from a charity book shop, and it was an excellent choice.

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