The chances of you having an English relative who worked on the railways is
pretty high. Railways were "the" growth industry of the mid/late 19th century
with even tiny villages being connected to the ever-increasing rail network.
The North West of England was at the centre of this burgeoning industry with
the Rainhill trials, the Liverpool-Manchester railway and the huge amount of
construction work in and around Liverpool.
Porters, platelayers, signalmen, guards, drivers, wheeltappers, coach
builders, drivers, firemen, engineers .... there was a plethora of occupations
connected with the railways. And of course there were the people who built them
- thousands of (mainly Irish) navvies laid mile upon mile of track at an
astonishing speed. The pace of change must have been truly amazing for people
who had been born in the eighteenth century. The sight of a locomotive charging
through the countryside at (then) unimaginable speeds, linking towns within
hours, must have been truly mind-blowing.
This book offers a complete guide to using railway records, covering all
aspects of this hugely significant industry. The book includes a potted history
of the railways, case studies and a comprehensive resources section.
Contents:
1. Introduction
2. Construction of New Railways
3. Building the Trains
4. Maintaining the Infrastructure
5. Maintaining the Trains
6. Operating the Railway
7. Commercial Activity
8. Fire, Police, Ambulance
9. Accidents
10. Pension Funds and Trade Unions
11. Miscellaneous
12. London Transport Railways
13. Where to Look
14. Case Studies of a Railway Family
15. Towns Served by More Than One Railway Company
16. Railway Workers Who Did Not Work For Main-Line Railways
17. Overseas Railways
Bibliography
Index
About the Society
