A LOCAL historian’s latest book entitled Railways of Herefordshire and the Southern Marches is the obvious successor to Heather Hurley’s previous book on the Horse-drawn Tramways of the Wye Valley - a transport system that was gradually replaced and rapidly expanded by a network of steam locomotives.

This railway history is written by a Ross-based historian, not a railway enthusiast, who delved through the archives of eighteen railway companies; at least two were abandoned from the start, four remain open with another partly restored as a heritage line.

Apart from the documentary research a great deal of fieldwork was undertaken in the counties of Herefordshire, Gloucestershire, Monmouthshire, Brecknockshire and Radnorshire to provide important visual information.

The history of all known railways is recorded in an area spreading from Presteigne in the north, Chepstow in the south, Brecon to the west and Ledbury in the east.

The story follows the challenges, disappointments, financial gain and loss throughout a period of railway mania. Thoroughly researched from original documents the story follows the enormous task of construction, celebrations of openings and the history of each line until its fate was decided.

All the railways were established between 1845 and 1900 including the Hereford, Ross and Gloucester Railway and the Ross to Monmouth Railway, revealing the importance of rail transportation to the developing industries, rising economics and growth in population during the nineteenth century.

In the following century a short-sighted decision to close most of the lines with no vision of the future was an unfortunate error.

Heather has spent the summer giving illustrated presentations of her railway book, published by Logaston Press, at the area’s various clubs and societies and will shortly be at St Mary’s Church in Ross, the Archives and Records Centre in Hereford; Fownhope Village Hall and at the Hay Winter Festival.

The book is lavishly illustrated and available from local booksellers.