''Andrew Martin is a railway wizard'' Telegraph ''Leaves you with renewed confidence that trains can still be the most civilised way to travel'' Financial Times Throughout the twentieth century, the seaside service posters of Britain''s railways promisedfresh air and frivolity to millions of urban dwellers with the phrase: ''To the sea by train''. A staple of modern British life, the seaside getaway was intertwined with the train, in whose compartments holidaymakers were shunted from smog-choked cities to sandy coves.With his signature wit and anecdotal style, Andrew Martin captures an era defined by its railways: fromthe development of Brighton and Scarborough into pleasure resorts, and the introduction of bankholidays and two-day weekends, to the advent of cheap flights and the British coast''s subsequentdecline. Humorous and evocative, To the Sea by Train takes a charming tour through Britain''s mostbeloved pastime.