Fire and Steam: A New History Of the Railways In Britain

Fire and Steam tells the dramatic story of the people and events that shaped the world's first railway network, one of the most impressive engineering achievements in history. Christian Wolmar's book spans the history of the railways from the pioneering Liverpool & Manchester Railway (and of the railway mania that followed) to the chequered history of British Rail and its subsequent privatisation.

Fire and Steam shows how the railway changed the face of British industry and stimulated the development of many facets of modern life, from fish & chips to seaside holidays.Wolmar celebrates the vision and determination of the ambitious Victorian industrialists who developed this revolutionary transport system and the workers who cut through the land to enable a country-wide network to emerge. From the early days of steam to electrification, Fire and Steam examines the cultural, social and economical importance of the railway and how it helped to form the Britain of today.