I’ve always liked trains, but I don’t think I noticed how much until we had children. Two out of three of my boys loved trains when they were small and, even now, their preferred mode of transport is by rail.
Recently, my youngest and I have been sharing, for bedtime reading, M.G. Leonard and Sam Sedgeman’s Adventures on Trains series. Not only do they feature travel and trains, they are also excellent and cleverly plotted thrillers. Check them out; they’re well worth it. Don’t just take my word for it, GeekMom reviewed the series last year, too.
I was very excited, therefore, when I was given the opportunity to review a couple more books on trains, one of which was written by one-half of the Adventures on Trains duo, Sam Sedgeman.
Locomotion: A Visual History of Trains
First, though, I want to look at Locomotion by Alastair Steele and Ryo Takemasa, an old-school history of trains book, brought bang up to do date with some wonderful illustrations.
In Locomotion, we chart the story of the train, beginning with Richard Trevithick, Puffing Billy, and Stephenson’s Rocket. It then runs through the evolution of the train and its different uses, including the transfer away from coal to electric and diesel. It charts the importance of passenger trains and mass rapid transit, the use of trains to transport the mail, and describes of some of the world’s greatest stations.
Interspersed through this catalog of rail history are descriptions of important and iconic trains, including the obvious choices, like the Shinkansen and Orient Express, to more obscure trains like the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, and hospital train, The Princess Christian. Locomotion closes out with a look at the future of trains, a history timeline, and some record-breaking railway facts.
Locomotion is a book perfect for young train fans. The illustrations are excellent, they have a retro feel that fits the subject matter. The text is both engaging and informative. If you had a train-loving pre-schooler who loved trains, but now is outgrowing their books, Locomotion is an excellent choice to refire their engines.
Epic Adventures
If you’re looking beyond the history of trains, and wish to learn about some of the fabulous rail journeys you can make today, then look no further than Epic Adventures, subtitled “Explore the World in 12 Amazing Train Journeys.”
This book looks at epic rail journeys across six continents, including the Ghan in Australia, The California Zephyr from Chicago to San Francisco, and the African Adventure from Dar Es Salaam to Cape Town. It also includes the Trans-Siberian Express, a route I traveled 20 years ago this year, but which, sadly, few travelers will be taking for the foreseeable future.
Each journey occupies a double-page spread and contains a host of information about the countries and places the route travels through. We learn about natural features, engineering marvels, and cultural highlights of each journey. All this is vividly brought to life by the illustrations, which are each created using an internally consistent color palette, making them striking and visually arresting. I probably love this book so much because each page is based around a map of the train route, each of which looks fabulous.
I also love that interspersed throughout the book are relevant and interesting asides, such as “Epic Engineering,” a double-page devoted to all the amazing constructions that have made rail journeys possible. Tunnels, bridges, and viaducts, they’re all here engineering fans! Add to this a spotlight on disused stations, the evolution of the railway in the United Kingdom, and a focus on the Shinkansen and you have a comprehensive overview of the very best bits of train lore!
I love both these books. They’re an excellent way in which to bring some railway goodness to children interested in the subject. Even for those who only have a passing interest, these books are perfect for switching you minds on to the world’s greatest way to travel!
If you’d like to pick up copies of either book, you’ll find Locomotion, here and Epic Adventures, here in the U.S., and here, in the UK (Locomotion), (Epic Adventures). (Affiliate links).
If you enjoyed this post, check out my other book reviews, here.
Disclosure: I was sent copies of these books in order to write these reviews.
