The narrow-gauge railways of the British Isles were built, often in rugged and spectacular landscapes, to serve communities beyond the economic reach of the standard gauge. Most were in Wales and Ireland, but England and Scotland too had need for the narrow gauge where roads were few or non-existent and the terrain difficult. This is a revised edition of a book first published in 1984. It tells the story of these small railways, and features not only the passenger, goods and industrial services, but also the development of their locomotives. Photographs show them at work long before the days of preservation, and snippets of information and anecdotes give insights into everyday life on the lines.