150 years of Egypt and its Railways: 1852-2002.

Egypt’s large, historic and diverse railway system forms a crucial but little-known aspect of the country’s modern history. Running through Nile marshland and arid deserts and dating from 1852, Egypt’s railways have been fundamental in wars and empires, and now form the bedrock of a major country whose population is growing at 1 million souls every year.

Steel in the Sand comprises 113 pages charting the development of the system against the backdrop of Egyptian political and economic history in these chapters:

1. The Two Kingdoms 1811-1850
2. Railway Mania & Bankruptcy 1850-1882
3. Paying the Price 1882-1919
4. Profit & Loss 1919-1952
5. Command & Control 1952-1973
6. The New Kingdom 1974-2003

The interest and usefulness of this book is enhanced by its 7 maps, 92 original b/w and colour illustrations, 18 tickets, historic rolling stock appendices, including from 1889 and 1926, and its comprehensive index.