diff --git a/src/shape/shapefile.cc b/src/shape/shapefile.cc
index 3942b2bf1..35e1d283b 100644
--- a/src/shape/shapefile.cc
+++ b/src/shape/shapefile.cc
@@ -56,79 +56,4 @@ void shape_file::close()
 }
 
 
-int shape_file::read_xdr_integer()
-{
-#ifndef WORDS_BIGENDIAN
-    char b[4];
-    file_.read(b, 4);
-    return b[3] & 0xffu | (b[2] & 0xffu) << 8 |
-        (b[1] & 0xffu) << 16 | (b[0] & 0xffu) << 24;
-#else
-#error "TODO: big-endian "
-#endif
-}
-
-int shape_file::read_ndr_integer()
-{
-#ifndef WORDS_BIGENDIAN
-    char b[4];
-    file_.read(b,4);
-    return b[0]&0xffu | (b[1]&0xffu) << 8 | 
-	 (b[2]&0xffu) << 16 | (b[3]&0xffu) << 24;
-#else
-#error "TODO: big-endian "
-#endif
-}
-
-
-double shape_file::read_double()
-{
-#ifndef WORDS_BIGENDIAN
-    double val;
-    file_.read(reinterpret_cast<char*>(&val),sizeof(val));
-    return val;
-#else
-#error "TODO: big-endian "
-#endif
-}
-
-void shape_file::read_envelope(Envelope<double>& envelope)
-{
-#ifndef WORDS_BIGENDIAN
-    file_.read(reinterpret_cast<char*>(&envelope),sizeof(envelope));
-#else
-#error "TODO: big-endian"
-#endif  
-}
-
-
-void shape_file::skip(int bytes)
-{
-    file_.seekg(bytes,std::ios::cur);
-}
-
-
-void shape_file::rewind()
-{
-    seek(100);
-}
-
-
-void shape_file::seek(long pos)
-{
-    file_.seekg(pos,std::ios::beg);
-}
-
-
-long shape_file::pos()
-{
-    return file_.tellg();
-}
-
-
-bool shape_file::is_eof()
-{
-    return file_.eof();
-}
-
 
diff --git a/src/shape/shapefile.hh b/src/shape/shapefile.hh
index ff60f876b..d29f172b2 100644
--- a/src/shape/shapefile.hh
+++ b/src/shape/shapefile.hh
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@
  * Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307, USA.
  */
 
+//$Id$
+
 #ifndef SHAPEFILE_HH
 #define SHAPEFILE_HH
 
@@ -26,6 +28,20 @@ using namespace mapnik;
 
 class shape_file
 {
+    // POD structure to hold shape record 
+    struct shape_record
+    {
+	unsigned char* data;
+	size_t size;
+	explicit shape_record(size_t size)
+	    : data(static_cast<unsigned char*>(::operator new(sizeof(unsigned char)*size))),
+	      size(size) {}
+	~shape_record() 
+	{
+	    ::operator delete(data);
+	}
+    };
+    
     std::ifstream file_;
     static const int buffer_size = 16;
     char buff_[buffer_size];
@@ -36,12 +52,9 @@ public:
     bool open(const std::string& file_name);
     bool is_open();
     void close();
-    int read_xdr_integer();
-    int read_ndr_integer();
-    double read_double();
-
+    
     template <typename T,int dim>
-    void shape_file::read_coord(coord<T,dim>& coord)
+    inline void shape_file::read_coord(coord<T,dim>& coord)
     {
 #ifndef WORDS_BIGENDIAN
 	file_.read(reinterpret_cast<char*>(&coord),sizeof(coord));
@@ -51,7 +64,7 @@ public:
     }
 
     template <typename T>
-    void shape_file::read_coords(coord_array<T> &ar)
+    inline void shape_file::read_coords(coord_array<T> &ar)
     {
 #ifndef WORDS_BIGENDIAN
 	file_.read(reinterpret_cast<char*>(&ar[0]),sizeof(T)*ar.size());  
@@ -61,12 +74,80 @@ public:
 	
     }
 
-    void read_envelope(Envelope<double> &envelope);
-    void skip(int bytes);
-    void rewind();
-    void seek(long pos);
-    long pos();
-    bool is_eof();
+    inline int read_xdr_integer()
+    {
+#ifndef WORDS_BIGENDIAN
+	char b[4];
+	file_.read(b, 4);
+	return b[3] & 0xffu | (b[2] & 0xffu) << 8 |
+	    (b[1] & 0xffu) << 16 | (b[0] & 0xffu) << 24;
+#else
+#error "TODO: big-endian "
+#endif
+    }
+
+    inline int read_ndr_integer()
+    {
+#ifndef WORDS_BIGENDIAN
+	char b[4];
+	file_.read(b,4);
+	return b[0]&0xffu | (b[1]&0xffu) << 8 | 
+	    (b[2]&0xffu) << 16 | (b[3]&0xffu) << 24;
+#else
+#error "TODO: big-endian "
+#endif
+    }
+
+    inline double read_double()
+    {
+#ifndef WORDS_BIGENDIAN
+	double val;
+	file_.read(reinterpret_cast<char*>(&val),sizeof(val));
+	return val;
+#else
+#error "TODO: big-endian "
+#endif
+    }
+
+    inline void read_envelope(Envelope<double>& envelope)
+    {
+#ifndef WORDS_BIGENDIAN
+	file_.read(reinterpret_cast<char*>(&envelope),sizeof(envelope));
+#else
+#error "TODO: big-endian"
+#endif  
+    }
+
+
+    inline void skip(int bytes)
+    {
+	file_.seekg(bytes,std::ios::cur);
+    }
+
+
+    inline void rewind()
+    {
+	seek(100);
+    }
+
+
+    inline void seek(long pos)
+    {
+	file_.seekg(pos,std::ios::beg);
+    }
+
+
+    inline long pos()
+    {
+	return file_.tellg();
+    }
+
+
+    inline bool is_eof()
+    {
+	return file_.eof();
+    }
+    
 private:
     shape_file(const shape_file&);
     shape_file& operator=(const shape_file&);