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Review
Still one of the essential guides. --Rail Express, December 2009
Rolt's style and narrative is entirely readable and anyone with a general interest in the subject should find the book absorbing. --Engineering Designer, May/June 2010
Rolt's style and narrative is entirely readable and anyone with a general interest in the subject should find the book absorbing. --Engineering Designer, May/June 2010
Product Description
Railway Disasters are almost always the result of human fallibility - a single mistake by an engine-driver, guard or signalman, or some lack of communication between them - and it is in the short distance between the trivial error and its terrible consequence that the drama of the railway accident lies. First published in 1955, and the result of Rolt's careful investigation and study of the verbatim reports and findings by H.M. "Inspectorate of Railways", this book was the first work to record the history of railway disasters, and it remains the classic account. It covers every major accident on British railways between 1840 and 1957 which resulted in a change in railway working practice, and reveals the evolution of safety devices and methods which came to make the British railway carriage one of the safest modes of transport in the world. This edition uses the last text produced by Rolt himself in 1966 and includes a new introduction by his friend and fellow railway historian Professor Jack Simmons.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is a book for anyone interested in railways and railway safety systems.The accidents are well described plus the comments,conclusions and recommendations of the Railway Inspector.Over the years the lessons learnt from these accidents have created the safe modern railway we know today.The equipment installed over the period covered to promote safety is also explained.There is mystery here too,accidents at Salisbury,Shrewsbury and Grantham were never fully solved.
An excellent book.
An excellent book.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
'Red for Danger' was first published in 1955 and revised in 1966 by the author. It was the first comprehensive historical record of major railway accidents in Britain. The author's primary objective was to demonstrate the lessons learned and to highlight the successive improvements in railway safety. It was widely regarded as the standard work on the subject by those with a serious interest in railways and railway history. Rolt's style and narrative is entirely readable and anyone with a general interest in railways should find the book absorbing. However, to appreciate the circumstances of some of the accidents in detail, the reader needs to have have a working knowledge of railways in the days of steam and manual signal boxes. The book has been reprinted several times since its first publication and remains a classic: however, this latest 2009 reprint has apparently suffered as a result of a sloppy transcription from an earlier edition. There are almost 40 typographical errors, which are peculiar to this edition, hence the loss of a star from the rating.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Looked forward to reading the new edition. What a let down - Full of simple errors, often several per page, that made me lose track of the stories and ultimately question how this book ever managed to get on the shelves. Wait for the revised edition - we can only hope that the proof reading has improved.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Historical Interest
This book was first published 56 years ago and so is written in quite an old fashioned way, it is also a very dry read. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Mr. John Connell
Engine Driver
I ordered a second hand version of this book. It came from Oxfam promptly delivered and very well presented. Read more
Published 20 months ago by Brunel
Red for Danger
If you have ever wanted to find out why railway accidents make the headlines, then this book will tell you. Read more
Published on 14 Oct 2009 by Ferroequinologist
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