Red for danger

Drawing on the reports compiled by H.M. Inspectorate of Railways, L. T. C. Rolt set out to trace how Britain's rail network learned from its own crashes. First appearing in 1955, the book walks through each significant accident between 1840 and 1957 that forced a shift in how trains were run. Its central thread is the gradual arrival of the signalling systems, braking arrangements and operating rules that eventually made rail travel in Britain among the safest forms of transport anywhere.

This third edition, revised in 1978, adds fresh material by Geoffrey Kichenside. A black and white photograph section and a full index are included, and the volume runs to 301 pages.