As a boy, I always loved The Railway Series, managing to collect all 41 of the books and reading them all, but this is rather special and the pride of my collection so far.
It is, practically, a summary of ever story up to when it was published, and detailed backgrounds to all the engines, though not really character based. Also included is a FAQ section, which answers many of the things I have wondered about the range for some time. I thoroughly enjoed these sections, and the book in general.
But the final few pages were, in my opinion, the best. Having seen the show as it is now, I have to say it has gone downhill quicker than Gordon's express on a rainy day! Of course, this is purely my own opinion, but it really highlights the fact that a generation of children is missing out on The Railway Series. Makes you think, doesn't it?
Daniel