Description

THE TOP TEN SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
‘Vividly conjures a lost age’ FINANCIAL TIMES
‘Hugely entertaining’ EVENING STANDARD
‘A feast of anecdotage’ SUNDAY TIMES

Throughout the twentieth century, the seaside service posters of Britain’s railways promised fresh air and frivolity to millions of urban dwellers with the phrase: ‘To the sea by train’. A staple of modern British life, the seaside getaway was intertwined with the train, in whose compartments holidaymakers were shunted from smog-choked cities to sandy coves.

With his signature wit and anecdotal style, Andrew Martin captures an era defined by its railways: from the development of Brighton and Scarborough into pleasure resorts, and the introduction of bank holidays and two-day weekends, to the advent of cheap flights and the British coast’s subsequent decline. Humorous and evocative, To the Sea by Train takes a charming tour through Britain’s most beloved pastime.

‘A standalone classic’ COUNTRY LIFE
‘Infectious’ SPECTATOR

Publisher Review

Praise for Andrew Martin:
‘Andrew Martin is the railway wizard * Telegraph * Andrew Martin has cornered the train market. He is the Bard of the Buffer, the Balladeer of the Blue Train, the Laureate of Lost Property … the best sort of travel-writer: inquisitive, knowledgeable, lively, congenial * Mail on Sunday * Martin is entertaining company, alive to the history of his route … Leaves you with renewed confidence that trains can still be the most civilised way to travel * Financial Times *