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Review
'It is a testament to Engel's skill as a writer that he makes what could have been really quite depressing and tiresome appear fascinating and engaging throughout. You feel he could turn his hand to provide a diverting account of grouting . . . This is a supremely useful book as well as an enjoyable one. It asks, and answers, all the right questions.' --Nicholas Lezard's Paperback Choice, Guardian
'An entertaining read, and a good look at our railways.' --Railways Illustrated
'The cover alone . . . is enough to stir the heart of any self-respecting buff.' --Sunday Telegraph
'Highly personal and very funny'
--London Review of Books
'The book is a triumph and deserves an audience far beyond those infatuated with the clickety-clack of steel wheels.'
--Independent
'Matthew Engel's highly personal and very funny history of the British railways' --London Review of Books
'An entertaining read, and a good look at our railways.' --Railways Illustrated
'The cover alone . . . is enough to stir the heart of any self-respecting buff.' --Sunday Telegraph
'Highly personal and very funny'
--London Review of Books
'The book is a triumph and deserves an audience far beyond those infatuated with the clickety-clack of steel wheels.'
--Independent
'Matthew Engel's highly personal and very funny history of the British railways' --London Review of Books
Review
'brilliant...The beauty of Eleven Minutes Late is that it combines a sustained and very funny rant about the chaotic state of Britain's privatised rail system with huge affection for the romance of the train. And indeed with the beguiling history of travel.'
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
122 of 125 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
For anyone who likes travelling by rail and believes that rail travel is a good thing this book is a must. The author takes a trip from Penzance to Thurso and back, going as fast as he can up and meandering down. In doing so he demonstrates beautifully the occasional joys and many vexations of travelling by rail in Britain. However, the book is not just about the trip, it also covers in detail the history of how the railways came to be built and of the staggering incompetence of government policy towards the railways over the past 150 years, culminating in the appallingly botched privatisation in the 1990's and why no government is prepared to invest what it takes to give us the railway system we deserve in a country that is ideally suited for rail travel. A fine piece of work.
54 of 56 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I bought this book minutes before getting on a Virgin train from Glasgow to London, and although I didn't have the "priviledge" of meeting the foul mouthed buffet car attendant Umerji, I certainly did manage to be eleven minutes late (fifteen to be exact). The title of course refers to the latest idiosyncracy of the British railway network, in that a long distance train is only "late" if the delay at the arrival terminus exceeds ten minutes.
That aside, Matthew Engel takes us on a journey from Penzance to Thurso and back; up and down the modern network, fighting his way through the many quirks and idiosyncracies of a transport system originally built by feuding Victorian entrepreneurs more interested in making a profit than necessarily doing what was best for serving society's needs. The story is intertwined with a brief history of how the system we know today came about; the various highs and lows from the Railway Mania of the mid 19th Century, the subsequent consolidation and nationalisation into British Rail, culimating in the disastrous 1990s privatisation and its aftermath. Along the way, the story is interspersed with little anecdotes about the people and situations Engel encounters on his travels.
The British of course have a love/hate relationship with the iron road. We get misty eyed over old steam engines, heritage lines, how the infamous Beeching cuts of the 1960s were one of the biggest acts of post-war vandalism, yet complain that todays trains are too often late, too old, too expensive, and represent inefficient use of taxpayer's money. Yet we all know our country was built by its railways, and that we simply can't do without them - for all their faults. Engel nails this paradox with witty and entertaining style.
The latter chapters on privatisation are particularly good, as they quickly summarise the tragedies and follies of one of the most spectactular Government policy failures in recent memory - without getting bogged down in details - think of it as a great companion to Christian Wolmar's "On The Wrong Line" if you can't be bothered with all the in-depth analysis.
An excellent read - it will brighten up any delayed journey!
That aside, Matthew Engel takes us on a journey from Penzance to Thurso and back; up and down the modern network, fighting his way through the many quirks and idiosyncracies of a transport system originally built by feuding Victorian entrepreneurs more interested in making a profit than necessarily doing what was best for serving society's needs. The story is intertwined with a brief history of how the system we know today came about; the various highs and lows from the Railway Mania of the mid 19th Century, the subsequent consolidation and nationalisation into British Rail, culimating in the disastrous 1990s privatisation and its aftermath. Along the way, the story is interspersed with little anecdotes about the people and situations Engel encounters on his travels.
The British of course have a love/hate relationship with the iron road. We get misty eyed over old steam engines, heritage lines, how the infamous Beeching cuts of the 1960s were one of the biggest acts of post-war vandalism, yet complain that todays trains are too often late, too old, too expensive, and represent inefficient use of taxpayer's money. Yet we all know our country was built by its railways, and that we simply can't do without them - for all their faults. Engel nails this paradox with witty and entertaining style.
The latter chapters on privatisation are particularly good, as they quickly summarise the tragedies and follies of one of the most spectactular Government policy failures in recent memory - without getting bogged down in details - think of it as a great companion to Christian Wolmar's "On The Wrong Line" if you can't be bothered with all the in-depth analysis.
An excellent read - it will brighten up any delayed journey!
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Travellers may often ask why British railways are quite so bad especially when compared to those on the continent or further afield. In this book which is part travelogue, part history,Matthew Engel seeks to answer the question revealing how the railway system has been the victim of shortsighted political manipulations by successive governments reluctant to invest but all too keen to look for profits.
The book starts with Engel's account of his journey from one end of the country to the other. His enthusiasm brings to life the beautiful, melancholy of the railway line cutting through remote Scottish glens, the architectural grandeur of the stations and his sympathy for the railway enthusiasts who are convnetionally represented as oddballs and misfits. His depiction of politicians is sharp and barbed and often cynical. Engel is highly critical of the forced closure of local services in the 1960s and the ridiuclous privatisation of the 1990s. He mocks the pretensions of many of the companies and reveals the awful quality of passenger service.
What makes this book work is that Engel always writes with balance and precision; his writing is full of a sharp humour and he captures the spirit of the 19th century railway builders beautifully.
I can only say that I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book!!
The book starts with Engel's account of his journey from one end of the country to the other. His enthusiasm brings to life the beautiful, melancholy of the railway line cutting through remote Scottish glens, the architectural grandeur of the stations and his sympathy for the railway enthusiasts who are convnetionally represented as oddballs and misfits. His depiction of politicians is sharp and barbed and often cynical. Engel is highly critical of the forced closure of local services in the 1960s and the ridiuclous privatisation of the 1990s. He mocks the pretensions of many of the companies and reveals the awful quality of passenger service.
What makes this book work is that Engel always writes with balance and precision; his writing is full of a sharp humour and he captures the spirit of the 19th century railway builders beautifully.
I can only say that I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book!!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
A sad story told with humour
The eleven minutes? You're not 'late' if only up to 10 minutes late - and by lengthening the allowance of time for the last stage of a journey it can be difficult to exceed that! Read more
Published 26 days ago by J. B. Swingler
So good I read it twice
Move over Bill Bryson. Matthew Engel's combination of dry humour and intelligent searing comment is wonderfully enjoyable - at least it would be if the subject matter wasn't so... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Ken
Andrew Lansley needs to read this
Sometimes chaotic, alternately humorous and angry, this is a thoroughly enjoyable yet thought-provoking look at the disaster that is the most expensive railway system in the... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Graham Lewis
Eleven Minutes Late: A Train Journey to the Sould of Britain
Very enjoyable book, but to begin with, I found you need to get over the anecdotal style of the author. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Gerry
Are you getting what you think you are ?
I enjoyed this book, on the whole, although it is very "wordy". I am a great "fan" of rail travel and yes, in my teens I was a "trainspotter" ( and why not - we never robbed or... Read more
Published 4 months ago by M. Garvey
Shunted Into A Siding
Matthew Engel wanted the last train he travelled on whilst writing this book to be (eponymously) eleven minutes late - it wasn't, and similarly, this was frustratingly not quite... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Roger Risborough
Why our railways drive us bonkers...
This book probably means more to people like me who have endured years of railway commuting rather than the occasional railway traveller. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Paul
a history of madness
After 18 years in the UK, I still struggle to understand why the railways aren't working, but this book helps a lot. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Michael Gross
A railwayman's view
This is an outstanding overview of nearly two centuries of UK raiway history, and of the love-hate relationship which exists between railways in Britain and the public. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Gerry Burt
An overdue book.
In the 1980's I used to make regular train journeys from Bath to Sunderland - not all were pleasant, not many were a "nightmare", and most were fine. Read more
Published 16 months ago by SCM
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