The Glorious Years of the Great Northern Railway
In 2023, one hundred years will have passed from the dissolution of the Great Northern Railway. Formed in the mid-1840s, the company was instrumental in connecting London with the eastern half of England, the North East and Scotland. Later, it made inroads into other parts of the country, such as Nottinghamshire and West Yorkshire. It successfully served the population for nearly a century and was able to innovate in several areas, with developments in locomotive design, carriage construction and services offered. Boasting several world-renowned engineers, the locomotives are featured in various scenes from across the GNR's network. The company's coaching stock is also presented. A number of interesting scenes are included showing the workforce, construction of the Crimpsall Repair Shop, as well as women war workers during the Great War. A small section is dedicated to the GNR's stations, which ranged from the grand terminus at King's Cross to humble buildings serving small villages. A number of these have been lost subsequently. Often with staff posing happily for the camera, the stations recall a time when a high standard of service was expected and offered, rather than the cost-saving and utilitarian facilities of the present. In an era before the motor car, when the world was horse-drawn and steam powered, the GNR was part of a 'golden age' of British history. The centenary of the company's demise provides a welcome opportunity to reflect on this distant, yet great period.
Hardback with dust jacket, 176 pages, black & white photographs
ISBN: 9781914227455
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