The railways symbolized the changes taking place in Britain as a result of the Industrial Revolution, and they themselves greatly contributed to these changes. 'Old Wealth', in the form of the great landowning dynasties and the landed gentry, was under challenge from 'New Wealth' the energetic industrial and commercial, urban middle class. Railways, with powers of compulsory purchase, intruded brutally into the previously sacrosanct estates and pleasure grounds of Britain's traditional ruling elite and were part of this clash of class interests. Aesthetes like Ruskin and poets like Wordsworth ranted against railways; Sabbatarians attacked them for providing employment on the Lord's Day; antiquarians accused them of vandalism by destroying ancient buildings; others claimed their noise would make cows abort and chickens cease laying. Railways were controversial then and have continued to provoke debate ever since. Arguments raged concerning nationalization and privatization, about the Beeching Plan and around light rail systems in British cities and HS1 and HS2. Examining railways from earliest times to the present, this book provides insights into social, economic and political attitudes and emphasizes both change and continuity over 200 years.
Author(s): David Brandon, Alan Brooke
Publisher: Pen & Sword Transport/Pen And Sword Books
Year: 2019
Language: English
Pages: 418
Tags: Transport History, Railways
Cover......Page 1
Book Title......Page 4
Copyright......Page 5
Table Of Contents......Page 6
Introduction......Page 8
Chapter One: The Impact of Industrialisation and Urbanisation on Britain......Page 16
Chapter Two: Inland Transport Before the Railway Age......Page 20
Chapter Three: The Railway Age – An Outline of Railway Developments 1820-1914......Page 32
Chapter Four: Challenges facing the Landed Aristocracy in the Early Nineteenth Century......Page 53
Chapter Five: How Railway schemes were promoted......Page 65
Chapter Six: How the Landed Aristocracy reacted to the coming of the Railways......Page 78
Chapter Seven: Other opposition from landowners......Page 110
Chapter Eight: The need to regulate the Railways......Page 163
Chapter Nine: The Railway Interest......Page 181
Chapter Ten: Other types of opposition to the Railways......Page 185
Chapter Eleven: Railways up and running and still generating criticism......Page 237
Chapter Twelve: Attitudes to Railways in the Arts......Page 270
Chapter Thirteen: Examples of support for Railways......Page 306
Chapter Fourteen: Hostility continues......Page 333
Select Bibliography......Page 406
Notes......Page 411
Index......Page 415
Back Cover......Page 418
