From the opening of the first suburban railway in the world, the Dublin and Kingstown in 1834, Ireland was in the vanguard of early railway development. This important and engaging book sets out the history of the railway and includes the stories of the people at its heart, the permanent way. The book is splendidly illustrated with a wealth of photographs and engravings, from the past to the present. With a different and fresh look at the human face of the railways author Michael Barry brings his unique insight as a railway engineer to this fascinating part of Ireland's heritage. Highly readable, it interweaves the history with the stories of the people who keep Ireland's railways on track.