The Manningtree to Harwich railway branch linked the Great Eastern Main line to the ports of Harwich and, later, Harwich Parkeston Quay. From the early days of the railways the management encouraged boat train services to the continent. These peaked in the 1980s.

This book is a journey along the line, visiting all the open and closed stations passed on the route of the line. Contained within are older pictures, from the GER and LNER era, plus steam views from the 1950s and shots of the diesel era and post-electrification era that followed. Although much rationalised, the branch is very much still with us and enjoys frequent electric train services to Manningtree, Colchester and London Liverpool Street.