The railway at the heart of Britain, carrying the nation's coal and transporting produce from the vast East Anglian farmlands, the LNER was a workhorse. It also held the unbeaten world steam speed record, and ran the Jazz suburban services - contrasts which are explored in this history of 150 glorious years. The LNER comes across as an enormous and often struggling business, but a very human affair. Its varied role touched the lives of many, and first-hand recounts of the railway bring its history to life. From Scottish ports to Lowestoft in the east, there were many faces to the LNER and management encouraged devolution like no other rail company of its time. This book contains many stirring stories of the days when the vast majority of its passengers and most its staff never dreamt of getting to know other than their small corners of the system, and when boarding the Flying Scotsman was the ultimate in adventure.