The Origins of the L.M.S. in South Wales
This lavishly illustrated book tells the story of a great Victorian adventure by entrepreneurs, gamblers, fanatics and serious businessmen, both Welsh and English, who built railways to exploit the mineral wealth of south Wales. From their boardrooms in Derby and London, the purposeful progress towards Swansea by the Midland and the LNWR was planned. The authors follow the course of this invasion from Worcester and Shrewsbury through Hereford, Abergavenny, Brecon and Brynmawr. It was an enterprise which proved difficult to achieve and troublesome to operate. Several colourful personalities lay behind the struggles, which proved to be not only with the Welsh landscape but also with other obstacles such as physical blockade, bankruptcy, chicanery and manipulation. All had a place in what often reads like High Victorian drama.
This story of determination and vision is told within a context of the Welsh minerals business, whose size and nature the authors assess. By considering specific constituents, namely the coal and minerals tonnages moved to ports in England, and the number of passengers using the line, the authors also attempt to estimate its wealth.
It is a fascinating study, enlivened with over 400 black and white and colour photographs, maps, diagrams and four previously unpublished paintings by Gwyn Briwnant Jones.
Hardback with dust jacket, 256 pages, over 400 black & white and colour photographs, maps etc.
Condition: Good/Very Good with small tear/wear to DJ
ISBN: 9781859026717
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Updated: 2 January 2025