To the Sea by Train

Throughout the twentieth century the seaside service posters of Britain's railways promised fresh 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: from the development of Brighton and Scarborough into pleasure resorts and the introduction of bank holidays and two-day weekends to the advent of cheap flights and the British coast's subsequent decline. Humorous and evocative To the Sea by Train takes a charming tour through Britain's most beloved pastime.