By Ian Lothian. A portrait of the main lines of Central Scotland from the period around the turn of the millennium. The five years either side of the millennium saw great change on the railway network as a whole, with the advent of privatisation and, on the passenger side, the introduction of franchised operations. The period saw new rolling stock, new locomotives and a staggering number of different liveries.
On the freight side, the original British Rail network was initially split into three different operating units, Mainline, Loadhaul and Transrail, each with their own separate identity. Ultimately, all three ended up being purchased by a single buyer and became EWS – English, Welsh and Scottish Railway Company.
Railways of Central Scotland records some of the many changes that took place in Scotland in this period. It captures the last days of some older locomotive classes before they were taken and of service, and equally includes some of the new trains by which they were replaced. It illustrates new companies, new rolling stock and a multitude of new liveries. By 2005, the railways of Central Scotland had transformed almost beyond recognition when compared with how things had been ten years earlier.
Author Ian Lothian illustrates the main route network in Central Scotland and provides an interpretation as to how things were and how they have changed. Railways of Central Scotland is divided into six chapters, each covering a separate geographical area with a description of traffic in the area and many colour photographs from the period. Over 150 photographs are included, mainly presented in two-per-page format. 96 pages.