Less glamorous and much less covered than the main railway lines, the industrial railways were once the lifeblood of the country and have a long and interesting history. Even in the rural south of England, industrial railways were a feature of the landscape for decades, and although they are no more, fortunately many were recorded in earlier years when they had an important role in the economy. This is the first all-colour album to look at a selection of industrial lines, of all gauges, from Kent westwards and featuring coal, chalk, oil and well as factory lines, some traversing through barren landscape and others, like at Farnborough, where the lines runs literally along the town streets!

This is the tenth volume in this highly popular series of books which look in detail at the lost and closed lines of the United Kingdom. Author Jeffery Grayer, who has contributed many titles to the series, this time looks at the closed lines of the Welsh Border counties. He has amassed a collection of colour views from a variety of former lines both in England, Wales and of course, cross-border routes. This new book is a perfect exercise in nostalgia for all those who like to travel back in time from the comfort of their armchair, and is equally valuable for active travellers and railway historians.

This new volume in the highly popular Impermanent Ways series is the second to be produced in 2014, the first on Dorset being released in January 2014. Author Jeffrey Grayer has once again sourced a fantastic selection of unusual and topical images to bring to life the numerous closed lines that once existed in this rural county. Lovely locations such as the Forest of Dean, Lydney, Tetbury, Cirencester, Tewkesbury. Contrasting with the views of closure are a carefully chosen selection of contemporary colour scenes showing the featured lines in operation. The vast majority of the photographs included in the book have never been seen before.

Jeffery Grayer, author of many of the Impermanent Way titles, has once again sourced a lively and unusual selection of images to illustrate the wide variety of lines that once existed in Dorset but have now long been closed. Contrasting with the views of closure are a carefully chosen selection of colour scenes showing the featured lines as they were in operation. The vast majority of the photographs in the book have never been seen before. Locations such as Bournemouth West, Corfe Castle, Swanage and Bridport/West Bay feature strongly as does Lyme Regis and the changes that have occurred around Weymouth.

Jeff Grayer's previous books in the Impermanent Ways series have been widely welcomed and enjoyed by enthusiasts and the public alike. The latest volume in the series covers Somerset. The author has deliberately excluded the Somerset and Dorset line, which is covered in detail elsewhere. Instead, he has concentrated on the many closed lines from north of Yeovil across to Chard, Langport, Witham, Cranmore, Mells, Shepton Mallett and, of course, the now preserved West Somerset route. Detailed historical notes relating to all the closed lines are provided in the informative captions which accompany the wealth of photographs, all of which are in colour. Lots of other railway emphemera is also featured, including extracts from old timetables, notices and tickets.