Railway historian David Ross, author of large historical works on no less than five of Scotland's pre-grouping railway companies, has compiled a compact book which acts as an outline history of railways in Scotland from the 19th century to the present day. There is no comparable title to this on the market. The Victorian era has chapters on railway origins in Scotland, the Mania of the 1840s and the subsequent competition and jostling for position between the big companies that emerged to dominate the market. The 20th century has chapters on the Great War and the 1923 Grouping, the inter-war years, more war, post-war Nationalisation, 40 years of that and then back to private ownership again and more jostling for position and competition taking us to where we are today.