The Coming of the Railway: A New Global History, 1750-1850

**The first global history of the epic early days of the iron railway** Railways, in simple wooden or stone form, have existed since prehistory. But from the 1750s onward the introduction of iron rails led to a dramatic technological evolution—one that would truly change the world. In this rich new history, David Gwyn tells the neglected story of the early iron railway from a global perspective. Driven by a combination of ruthless enterprise, brilliant experimenters, and international cooperation, railway construction began to expand across the world with astonishing rapidity. From Britain to Australia, Russia to America, railways would bind together cities, nations, and entire continents. Rail was a tool of industry and empire as well as, eventually, passenger transport, and developments in technology occurred at breakneck speed—even if the first locomotive in America could muster only 6 mph. __The Coming of the Railway__ explores these fascinating developments, documenting the early railway’s outsize social, political, and economic impact—carving out the shape of the global economy as we know it today. BThe first global history of the epic early days of the iron railway/BBR / BR / Railways, in simple wooden or stone form, have existed since prehistory. But from the 1750s onward the introduction of iron rails led to a dramatic technological evolution-one that would truly change the world.BR / BR / In this rich new history, David Gwyn tells the neglected story of the early iron railway from a global perspective. Driven by a combination of ruthless enterprise, brilliant experimenters, and international cooperation, railway construction began to expand across the world with astonishing rapidity. From Britain to Australia, Russia to America, railways would bind together cities, nations, and entire continents. Rail was a tool of industry and empire as well as, eventually, passenger transport, and developments in technology occurred at breakneck speed-even if the first locomotive in America could muster only 6 mph.BR / BR /IThe Coming of the Railway/I explores these fascinating developments, documenting the early railway's outsize social, political, and economic impact-carving out the shape of the global economy as we know it today CONTENTS 5 ILLUSTRATIONS AND MAPS 7 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 13 Introduction 15 1 Trade, transport and coal 1767–1815 22 2 ‘Rails best adapted to the road’ 44 3 Canal feeders, quarry railways and construction sites 63 4 ‘Art has supplied the place of horses’ Traction 1767–1815 94 5 War and peace 1814–1834 122 6 ‘Geometrical precision’ 140 7 ‘Most suitable for hilly countries’ 153 8 ‘That truly astonishing machine’ 173 9 Coal carriers 1815–34 206 10 Internal communications 1815–1834 227 11 The first main lines 1824–1834 247 12 Coming of age 277 13 ‘The new avenues of iron road’ 1834–1850 299 14 ‘You can’t hinder the railroad’ 328 A NOTE ON SOURCES AND TERMINOLOGY 336 NOTES 340 BIBLIOGRAPHY 378 Index 402