The first railway to reach Preston was the North Union (NU), with a line from Wigan in October 1838. By the turn of the nineteenth century there were some seventy stations within a 15-mile radius of Preston, with approximately half of these still in use in 2022. The variety of motive power to be seen at Preston over the years would rival any station in the entire UK railway network.

Mike Rhodes has recorded the railway scene in the locality for over sixty-five years and has been active with a camera since just before the curtain came down on BR steam in 1968, with nearby Lostock Hall MPD being the last functioning steam shed on BR. Here he explores the rails around Preston through fascinating images and informative captions.

'A large portion of Railwatch readers will have travelled by train through Preston at some point in their lives. I am sure they will enjoy this information book.' -- Railwatch Magazine, July 2025
'Historical context is provided, plus useful maps including a plan of Preston station's layout prior to the rationalisation of the 1970s.' -- Model Rail Magazine, August 2025
'Recommended to all with an interest in our railway history and particularly the Preston area.' -- The Railway Magazine, September 2025

Mike Rhodes hails from Preston and became interested in both road and rail transport from an early age. He has published several books and has been photographing buses since 1974.