'The place of railways in British town planning can be summed up in two melancholy words: missed connection. Thankfully the Victorians left such a robust railway legacy that we still have the chance to do better in the twenty-first century. Russell Haywood's meticulous analysis of the past six decades is full of lessons for a more sustainable future.' Michael Hebbert, University of Manchester, UK 'The author's style is commendably lucid and easy to read, and the structure of his analysis extremely clear. The latter is further illuminated by a chapter devoted to a case study of the successes, failures and missed opportunities in one particular region: the city of Manchester. More might have been said about the location of new freight-generating manufacturing plants and distribution depots remote from rail access in the post-war years. Nevertheless this is an impressive thought-provoking (if expensive) study, which opens up a stimulating new perspective on the development of rail transport in Britain over the past eighty years.' Journal of Railway and Canal Historical Society
