On the Trail of the Royal Scot

In his new book David Packer takes us on a journey along the route of one of the world's most famous trains - the Royal Scot, which through most of its history was hauled by one of the fastest locomotives available. From Euston, near the site of one of the earliest experiments with steam locomotion, through 400 miles of English and Scottish countryside to Glasgow, the journey has much to offer. Hills and mountains, estuaries, rivers and valleys and even a glimpse of the west coast of England, combine with manmade features such as viaducts and cuttings, tunnels and embankments, as well as churches, cathedrals, castles, Roman roads, canals and motorways, to provide a microcosm of Britain that will engage the traveller's attention along the way. The West Coast Main Line is one of the major trunk routes in Britain, an amalgam of some of the country's oldest railways, including Stephenson's London and Birmingham Railway and the Grand Junction Railway. David Packer illustrates the full variety of motive power, as well as a wealth of other trains, both passenger and freight, which used the same spectacular line.