The Railway Station: A Social History

by Jeffrey Richards, John M. MacKenzie

For the Victorians, the advent of the railways symbolized a new age of progress, power, and civilization. Since then, industrialization has often proved a mixed blessing; yet we continue to acknowledge the importance--as well as the romantic mystique--of the rails and all that comes with them. This engaging book examines the role of the railway station around the world, revealing a microcosm more complex and fascinating than anything our nineteenth-century forebears could have dreamed of. The authors chart the changing styles in the construction and decoration of the station, from the somber grandeur of St. Pancras in London to the humbler delights of country stations in the American Midwest. As the book shows, the various facilities offered by the station have assumed as much importance as the building itself: the ticket office and the waiting room have become as familiar as the trains. The book also discusses how, in paintings and poetry, stations have been depicted as places of tearful departure or joyful reunion, and how, in films like Brief Encounter, they have assumed the status of a starring role. Stations also have had a part to play in politics and the economy, especially in wartime, and governments throughout the world have long recognized their strategic significance. This enthralling volume captures the allure of the station by encompassing the disciplines of history, literature, art, and architecture in a sweeping global survey, unique in both scope and perspective.

Genres: Trains, History, Nonfiction, British Literature

464 pages, Paperback

First published October 16, 1986

About the author

Jeffrey Richards is Professor of Cultural History at Lancaster University.

Reviews

[Soubresaut · Rating 2 out of 5]

In the main, this book is a recitation of facts in the public domain so might suit someone new to the subject and looking for the essentials in one book. I was hoping for some original research and particularly an insight into the creation of the first station spaces for railway passengers, what they were intended to achieve, how they attempted it and how they evolved; the Great Western wouldn’t even
let third class passengers into their stations but then again they were known at the time for treating the travelling poor abominably.