Railways: The Making of a Nation
Historian Liz McIvor explores how Britain's expanding rail network was the spark to a social revolution, starting in the 1800s and continuing through to modern times.
On iPlayer
Not available
On TV
No upcoming broadcasts
Supporting Content
Railways: The Making of a Nation - Preview
Historian Liz McIvor explores how Britain鈥檚 expanding rail network was the spark to a social revolution, starting in the 1800s and through to modern times.聽
Throughout the series Liz looks at how the railways were key to our modern world of speed, communication and inter-connectivity.
Each episode focuses on a different theme each episode, from Time, to Capitalism, Leisure and聽Food.聽
The first episode explores how a rail network is organised in a country made up of different local time zones and no recognised timetables.聽聽
Before the railways, Britain was divided and local time was proudly treasured.聽聽
Clocks in the west of the country were several minutes behind those set in the east.聽
The railway system wanted the country to step to a single beat, following Greenwich Meantime.
However, not everyone was keen to fall in line, and some complained about a new world dominated by a single time zone with precise schedules and timetables.聽聽聽
Related Links
Related Content
