Sussex

Stretching from Bournemouth in the west to Hastings and Rye in the east, the railway development of the coastal counties of Hampshire and Sussex was ultimately to be dominated by two of the main constituents of the Southern Railway: the London & South Western and the London, Brighton & South Coast. Indeed, the county of Sussex was almost the LBSCR's private fiefdom, its dominance only being challenged by the South Eastern & Chatham's main line from Tunbridge Wells to Hastings and the independent Kent & East Sussex from Robertsbridge in the east, by the LSWR branch from Petersfield to Midhurst in the west and by the independent Selsey line from Chichester. Equally, the LSWR dominated Hampshire, although the company was faced by the much more potent challenge of the Great Western in the north. Alongside the main lines, the majority of which still form the core of the area's railway network to this day, there were countless secondary routes and branches, many of which have now disappeared but others of which still play a crucial part in the area's public transport. Amongst the much-mourned casualties are the Hayling Island branch, the Meon Valley line and the Steyning branch. Other routes - such as the Mid-Hants and the Bluebell - are now partly preserved, allowing contemporary visitors to experience the atmosphere of the secondary lines from more than 40 years ago. In his second contribution to OPC's new 'Branches & Byways' series, John Vaughan narrates the history of the myriad branches and secondary lines of this region. As with the earlier volumes in the series, the book provides the reader with an historical account of each of the lines featured supplemented by a range of historical photographs and maps. Drawn upon the author's detailed local knowledge and research, the book also includes a limited number of 'Then & Now' photographs to illustrate how the landscape nd railway infrastructure have changed over the decades.

Walking is one of Britain's favourite leisure activities, and with "50 Walks in Sussex" you can find a variety of mapped walks to suit all abilities - from the casual walker to the experienced hiker. The book features all the practical detail you need, accompanied by fascinating background reading on the history and wildlife of the area, as well as other local points of interest. All walks are annotated with places to visit along the way: 'While You're There', featuring churches, country houses, museums, villages and towns. Each walk also has refreshment information: 'Where to Eat and Drink', including tea rooms and pubs, with extra details on their character and the food on offer. A 'What to Look For' panel features more specific details of urban and industrial heritage, flora and fauna. Every walk is given a summary of distance, time, gradient, level of difficulty, type of surface and access, landscape, dog friendliness, parking and public toilets.