Neil Smith had a varied career with British Rail working as Relief Station Master at Bletchley and Bedford, Euston HQ and Assistant Station Manager at Oswestry. He was appointed to Freight Traffic Manager at Crewe Basford Hall Marshalling Yard and finally to Duty Manager at Crewe Area Operations Centre having overall control of 70 miles of the West Coast Main Line. Author of two previous books "Times of Our Lives" (Memories of the 20th Century) and "Inside Crewe Locomotive Works".

An illustrated history of the Premier Line from the Victorian Era to the early twentieth century.
In this volume, author and British Railway veteran Neil Smith presents a wonderful miscellany of the London & North Western Railway drawn from the Railway Magazine archives. Charting the line's evolution from the close of the Victorian Era into the start of the twentieth century, The London & North Western Railway explores a wide variety of subjects through original articles and personal interviews. Plus, numerous historic illustrations and photos bring the story to life.
The twenty-seven chapters cover topics including:

· Notable Stations such as Birmingham New Street, Carlisle Citadel, and Manchester London Road

· Wolverton Carriage Works and Earlestown Wagon Works

· Engine Drivers and Their Duties by C.J. Bowen-Cooke

· The Irish Mail and the 'American Special' Trains

· Webb Precedent and Compound Locomotives

· Royal Saloons