Book Review. Life along the railways out back

Authors of “Life Along the Railways” Gladys Eldridge and Leonie Montgomery Photo: TWH

It’s important to remember that the railways were, for many years, the lifeblood of western New South Wales.

The western and far western rail networks connected isolated communities throughout the region including Bourke, Brewarrina, Nyngan and Cobar, and all points in between.

Author Glad Eldridge of Nyngan used the steam trains every day travelling from her home at Warrigal to school in Nyngan.

She has been collecting photographs and stories of the old days on the railways for decades, and many are on display at the Nyngan Museum.

Glad always wanted to make these stories and photographs into a book about life on the railways out back.

The idea turned into reality with the faithful research and footwork of Leonie Montgomery who spent hours recording rail stories and collecting information and newspaper articles at the state archives.

The first edition of “Life along the Railways” was published in 2017, and was so well received it has become a collector’s item.

Read more in the printed edition of the Western Herald.