An examination of four hundred years of railways in Shropshire, from the primitive wagonways of the pre-railway age to the county's current rail network and services. Fully illustrated with almost two hundred monochrome and colour photos, Shropshire Railways is an ideal resource for anyone with an interest in this county with its rich railway history, and home to one of Britain's top heritage railways. . Including detailed route maps and a survey of timetables over the years, the book covers: . The pre-railway age and the coming of the main lines, with the opening of the Shrewsbury and Chester railway in 1848 . The 'grouping' of the railway companies from 1923 - the Great Western Railway (GWR) and London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) era in the county . The British Railways period from 1948-1994 - nationalisation and modernisation, passenger and freight trains, and locomotive sheds . The minor lines, the industrial railways and the heritage railways . Privatisation and the current main line scene AUTHOR: Geoff Cryer's interest in railways began when his grandfather took him, as a young child, to see the steam trains at the local station in their native Yorkshire. His thousands of photographs record that interest from the late 1960s. Shropshire's attractions, not least its wealth of railway history, soon became clear to Geoff when he came to the county to work in further and higher education, nearly forty years ago. Geoff's ongoing activities within and outside the county can be followed at www.geoffspages.co.uk 200 colour and b/w photographs and 5 maps