The development of Britain’s railways also shaped the world of fiction with the publication of special cheap editions of books to read on the train, so it’s appropriate to feature a bookshop on a platform.

Situated between the hills and the sea, Grange-over-Sands in Cumbria was transformed in Victorian and Edwardian times into a fashionable seaside resort.

The railway station - with its sandstone dressings and Westmorland slate roof - is Grade II listed. The platforms are shielded by glass canopies on ironwork columns and ornamental brackets, all painted in white, green and red.

The station booking office is on the “up” (Lancaster) platform, while the “down” (Barrow) platform is where you can find Over-Sands second-hand bookshop, which specialises in British topography, Cumbria, and appropriately, railways.

Track suits: Best railway stations

Felix the Huddersfield Station cat

While most railway stations in England are places to scurry through on the way to get somewhere else, there are some which are worth lingering a little longer at. Here are some everyday stops that offer commuters a little more than hurrying hordes and characterless coffee shops.