One of the jewels in the nation's crown is its Anglican cathedrals. Many, constructed after the invasion of 1066, stand as monuments to the determination and commitment of their Norman builders. Others have been built in later centuries, while some started life as parish churches and were subsequently raised to cathedral status. Places of wonder and beauty, they symbolize the Christian life of the nation and are visited today more than ever, as places that represent England's religious creed, heritage and the skills of their builders. Eight hundred years later came the Victorians, who pioneered the Industrial Revolution and created railways. Like their Norman predecessors, their creations were built to last: the railway system bequeathed to later generations has endured in much the same form as when it was originally constructed and there is certainly little sign that railways will be displaced by other modes of transport in the foreseeable future. Combining a study of thirty-three English cathedrals and the railway systems which allow them to be reached, the author seeks to celebrate these two magnificent institutions. In the process he hopes to encourage others to travel the same journeys as he himself has undertaken.
