The Steam and the Gaslight - Softcover

There have been many books about London railway history, but few that have considered the subject from the passenger's point of view. The Steam and the Gaslight fills that gap for the late Victorian era. It draws on contemporary sources, chiefly newspapers and periodicals, to give an impression of what it was like to travel by train on the increasingly complex rail network of late 19th century London. Standards varied widely from one railway company to another, but on most lines passengers found something to complain about, whether it were timetables, information, fares, stations, trains, timekeeping or even their fellow travellers. The class-conscious society of late Victorian England was reflected in the social segregation of passengers on stations and in trains. The attitudes and behaviour of train users are illustrated in anecdotes and cartoons from the period. Twenty-first century London rail commuters who are discontented with the service provided may find some consolation in comparing today's travel experience with that endured by their late Victorian forebears.