George and Robert Stephenson: the railway revolution

by L.T.C. Rolt

The railways were the most revolutionary innovation of Victorian times and we owe them to these two men, the most important engineers of their time. returncharacterreturncharacterThey carried Britain into the modern age with dramatic speed, transforming the pace and style of everyday life. We owe them to two men who, father and son, can lay claim to be the most important engineers of their time, George and Robert Stephenson. returncharacterreturncharacterIn this excellent biography L.T.C. Rolt author of Victorian Engineering and Thomas Telford, assesses their lives and their work.

Genres: History, Trains, Engineering, Technology, Biography

Paperback

First published October 28, 1977

About the author

Lionel Thomas Caswall Rolt (usually abbreviated to Tom Rolt or L.T.C. Rolt) was a prolific English writer and the biographer of major civil engineering figures including Isambard Kingdom Brunel and Thomas Telford. He is also regarded as one of the pioneers of the leisure cruising industry on Britain's inland waterways, and as an enthusiast for both vintage cars and heritage railways.

Reviews

[Graham Cammock · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most important book I have ever read.

[Steve Dempsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great factual book about the lives of George and Robert Stephenson and how they contributed to the building of the railways.

[? · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Train kept a-rolling all night long"

[Ben Loveland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good! The only biography I’ve enjoyed haha

[Ria · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really fascinating biography which deals not just with the elder Stephenson but his son too.
Well worth reading if you are a train buff or even just into history and the railway revolution era in general.

[Nico Macdonald]

Owned by Francis Pugh.

[Jamie Boyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

A reasonably balanced discussion about two of the great forces behind the development of rail.