Historian Liz McIvor examines how Britain's rapidly expanding railway network was the spark for a social revolution that began in the 1800s and whose impact is still being felt today.
Where to Watch Railways: The Making of a Nation • Season 1
6 Episodes
Time
E1
TimeBefore the coming of the railways Britain was made up of lots of separate, local time zones and local time was proudly treasured. The railways introduced a world of precise schedules and timetables that recognised Greenwich Mean Time.
Capitalism and Commerce
E2
Capitalism and CommerceSeries about Britain's railways. Liz McIvor explores how railways stimulated great changes to the nation's economy, changing how business was done.
The Age of Leisure
E3
The Age of LeisureBritain's new railway network transformed the way people spent their leisure time. Urban workers could travel to the coast to holiday, attend sporting fixtures and visit parts of the country previously beyond their reach.
The New Commuters
E4
The New CommutersBefore the age of steam you would need a horse to travel long-distances, but the railways allowed people to live further and further away from their place of work creating suburbia, New Towns and a new breed of worker - the commuter.
Food and Shopping
E5
Food and ShoppingSeries about Britain's railways. How the railways changed culinary tastes in London, as rapid transport enabled people to enjoy food from across the nation.
A Touch of Class
E6
A Touch of ClassAlthough railways separated passengers into first, second and third class carriages they also acted as a great catalyst for social change. Even royalty was able to travel the country, strengthening national identity and culture.
