This glorious concept album – which celebrates the 200th anniversary of the Stockton & Darlington Railway – features the warm, rootsy folk of Sam Slatcher. His little vignettes of life on the railway down through the years makes for some real heart-swelling stuff. And his wonderful songs are interspersed with poems from Lizzie Lovejoy, Carmen Marcus, Rowan McCabe and Harry Gallagher – all of which work beautifully here. The album is being released on 14 March with a two special performances at The Common Room in Newcastle. Limited free tickets from: thecommonroom.org.uk GM

Out 14 March, self release