Description

Immediate dispatch from Somerset. Nice book in great condition. Pages in excellent condition. No notes or highlighting. See images. Fantastic book.

About the book >.>.> Although at first sight the Metropolitan branch from Chalfont & Latimer to Chesham might appear to be just a typical railway by-way nevertheless it reflects not only its convoluted origins but also the evolving mixed role of serving both a country town and a growing commuter population. Compared with most similar towns Chesham had to wait over 50 years until 1889 for its railway but the eventual arrival of the branch was over the next century to dramatically change the nature of Chesham. Hard fought for by the townspeople they have had to continue to fight for its existence and no doubt will have go on doing so in the teeth of a pervasive indifference to the advantages of a proper transport infrastructure. My interest in the “MET” was first aroused when in the 1940’s as a schoolboy cycling home past Harrow on the Hill station I would be able to watch the 4.45pm ex-Marylebone express draw in hauled usually by a grimy but magnificent former GCR Robinson 4-4-0 Director class locomotive which somehow always seemed to be ‘Ypres’ or ‘Jutland’. Apart from the atmosphere of smoke and steam I remember the vast number of mailbags parcels and evil-smelling fish crates which were unloaded in double-quick time whilst in the background a MET electric loco – it might be ‘Sherlock Holmes’ – would be taking a rake of ‘Dreadnought’ coaches through to the City complemented perhaps by a semi-fast to Watford of multiple-unit electric T stock. Later I remember there was a picnic trip with a friend to Chorleywood Common which then sported very few trees and bushes and so provided an ideal vantage spot for us to watch the railway. What we were struck by was the amount of goods traffic on what we had assumed was a passenger line. (LL)