The West Coast Main Line – going all the way from London to Glasgow – remains one of the most important railway routes in this country. It was built by a number of separate companies and by 1863, when Bradshaw published his guide, the section from Manchester was operated as far as Carlisle by the London & North Western Railway, and from Carlisle onwards into Scotland by the Caledonian Railway. This guide covers that final section of the WCML, including the important locations encountered along the way. In the 1930s the LMS captured briefly the world record for a steam locomotive on this line.

‘Seldom has the gigantic intellect of man been employed upon a work of greater utility.’ Punch, in praise of Bradshaw’s publications

Bradshaw’s guide was published in 1863, not that long after most of the railway network had been completed. It gives the reader a unique insight into the world of the Victorian railways and goes beyond the engineering aspects to record the sights to be seen in the towns and cities encountered along the way. Campbell McCutcheon and John Christopher present Bradshaw’s original text accompanied by contemporary images to bring the journey to life for the modern reader.