THE romance of the Age of Steam still lingers among those old enough to remember the railways of south Shropshire pre-Dr Beeching's cuts.

The area was once rich in rural railways, Craven Arms was merely a hamlet before the trains came. Branch lines connected Bishop's Castle with Horderley, Ludlow with Bitterley and the Clee Hill quarries; Cleobury Mortimer with Tenbury Wells.

A new book, Lost Railways of Shropshire details a host of anecdotes and facts, illustrated by black and white photographs and maps of the golden age, following the opening of the main line from Shrewsbury to Hereford in 1853. The book relates that one of the most important lines - the Bishop's Castle Railway - received Royal Assent in June 1861 agreeing a line from Montgomery to Wistanstow plus a branch from Lydham Heath to Bishop's Castle.

The line from Woofferton to Tenbury Wells also has a chapter. The station house and platform at Easton Court is still there today. Sheep have been seen grazing on the platforms as though waiting for the 8.10 up to town.

The author, Leslie Oppitz, lives near Oswestry and has written other rail histories including volumes on Herefordshire & Worcestershire.

Lost Railways of Shropshire is published by Countryside Books at £9.95 and is available at most bookshops from today.