Description

Rails South West from Birmingham offers a photographic journey along the railway lines running south and south-west from Birmingham between 1972 and 2000. Beginning at New Street and Snow Hill stations, the book follows routes through the West Midlands and into the counties of Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Warwickshire, and Worcestershire.

The collection captures British railways in the late twentieth century as they passed through urban, industrial, and rural landscapes. Along the way, it visits branch lines, heritage railways, and railway centres that played an important role in regional rail history. Most photographs feature diesel locomotives and railcars typical of the era, while a number of steam-hauled special trains also appear.

As modernisation gathered pace, much traditional railway infrastructure still survived. Older stations, mechanical signal boxes, and semaphore signalling feature prominently, adding depth and historical value to the images. Although rail travel improved as a form of transport, this period preserved a visual richness that later disappeared.

Well-known locomotives such as ‘Peaks’, Class 50s, and many others are shown going about their daily work. Rails South West from Birmingham records a changing railway scene and preserves a remarkable era in British railway history.