Don Breckon's Country Railway Paintings Book

Don Breckon's railway paintings recreate the golden days of steam, when rail transport was an indispensable part of everyday life. Here he takes a nostalgic trip through the network of rural branch lines that criss-crossed the British countryside, connecting sleepy stations and country communities with towns and cities near and far.

These paintings commemorate the links that flourished with the transportation of coal, milk and mail as well as passengers. They record the trains, fast and slow; the stations, viaducts, cuttings and embankments that sprang up; and the men who operated and maintained the railway. A spectacular gallery of over 20 full-page colour reproductions is complemented by detailed captions describing the background to each picture and texts from several contributing authors, recounting their first-hand experiences on the country railway - as passengers, employees and enthusiasts. Preliminary sketches and enlarged details show the development of the paintings and help to illustrate the artist's meticulous technique.

Don Breckon was born in Northamptonshire and trained as an art teacher, following a career in this field for over a decade. He has been painting full time for the past 30 years, specializing in steam trains in the landscape. His work has been featured on television and published in a number of limited edition prints. Two previous compilations of his paintings, The Railways Paintings of Don Breckon, and Don Breckon's Great Western Railway, have been published by David & Charles.