On Either Side, 1939: The Train Between London King’s Cross & Edinburgh Waverley, Fort William, Inverness & Aberdeen

A nostalgic pre-war journey on the ‘Flying Scotsman’, from London King’s Cross (via York, Durham and Newcastle) to Edinburgh and beyond. Including a colour fold-out map of the old LNER system, it is the perfect guide for any time traveller boarding a train on today’s railway. Famous engines like the Flying Scotsman, The Coronation and the Mallard have sped up and down the East Coast of Britain, between London and Edinburgh, for more than 150 years. The mere mention of the service – itself known as the Flying Scotsman – evokes the romance of long night-time journeys beginning in one capital city and ending in another, journeys that traverse some of the most beautiful and diverse landscapes that the British Isles have to offer.For anyone interested in Britain’s social or railway history there could be no better guide to the route than this book: first published in 1939 by the LNER itself, beautifully illustrated and with a cover by the renowned poster artist Frank Newbould, On Either Side is a vintage historical guide that describes in charming detail what could have been seen by the pre-war traveller as they gazed from the carriage window, from unexpected gems (many now lost) to more famous landmarks that remain to this day. It also includes a beautiful fold-out, full-colour map of all the LNER routes.