Fire & steam
Subtitle: a new history of the railways in Britain
By: Christian Wolmar
Edition: Large print ed.
Publisher: ISIS
Published: 2008
Place of publication: Oxford
Language: eng
Number of pages: 482
ISBN-13: 9780753156841; 9780753156834
Subjects: Railroads; History
Description: Describes how railway changed the face of British industry and stimulated development of many facets of modern life, from fish & chips to seaside holidays. This title celebrates the vision and determination of Victorian industrialists who developed this transport system and workers who cut through the land to enable a country-wide network to emerge.
Notes: Originally published: London: Atlantic, 2007.

Includes bibliographical references and index.
Table of contents: title: Introduction: Why railways?; title: 1. The first railway; title: 2. Getting the railway habit; title: 3. Joining up Britain; title: 4. Changing Britain; title: 5. Railways everywhere; title: 6. The big companies: Great but not necessarily good; title: 7. The Agatha Christie Railway; title: 8. Danger and exploitation on the tracks; title: 9. Speeding to danger; title: 10. The only way to get there; title: 11. Fighting together-reluctantly; title: 12. Compromise-the big four; title: 13. And then there was one; title: 14. An undeserved reputation; title: 15. The future is rail.