Plan: 1 Until 1830: pioneers

Topic: The railway system in the UK.

Plan:
1. 1 Until 1830: pioneers
2 1830 - 1922: early development
3 1923 - 1947: Big Four
4 1948 - 1994: British Railways
5 Since 1995: after privatization
6 References

Railway passengers in the UK from 1829 to 2019

87th Class Electric Locomotive and Coaches Driven by Mark 3 franchise Virgin Trains
The British railway system began in the 1560s with the construction of local insulated wooden carriages. Patches of local railway connections operated by small private railway companies produced in the late 18th century. These isolated connections were expanded during the 1840s when the railroad explosion was still managed by dozens of competing companies, turning it into a national network. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, they were merged or acquired by competitors until several large companies remained (see railway mania ). During the First World War the whole network came under government control and a number of advantages of unification and planning were demonstrated. However, the government has resisted these calls for a nationalization network. In 1923, almost all the remaining companies were grouped into the "Big Four": the Great Western Railway , the London and Northeast Railways , the London, Midland and Scottish Railways, and the Southern Railroad . The "Big Four" were joint-stock companies that continued the railway system until December 31, 1947.
Since the beginning of 1948, the "Big Four" formed the nationalized British Railways . Although there have been a few initial changes in services, usage has increased and the network has generated revenue. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, declining passenger numbers and financial losses required the closure of many branches and trunk lines and small stations. Pine ax . High-speed intercity trains were introduced in the 1970s. In the 1980s, sharply reduced railway subsidies and above - inflation increased prices and reduced losses. Railway activities were privatized during 1994-1997. The Railway , which owns the road and infrastructure , has franchised passenger operations for private operators (initially there were 25 franchises) and sold freight services directly. Passenger traffic has risen to its highest level since privatization, but whether privatization depends on it is debatable . The accident at The Hatfield triggered a series of events that led to the final collapse of the Railtrack and its replacement by the Railroad , a state-owned company, not for dividends.
Until 1830: pioneers
Main article: History of railway transport in Great Britain up to 1830
A wagon track has been used mainly by German miners in Coldbeck , Cumbria , England, probably since the 1560s. [1] Prescott , where the wagon road was built , near Liverpool , dates back to about 1600, probably 1594. The line, owned by Philip Layton, carried the coal from a pit near Prescott Hall to a terminal half a mile away. [2]
Another chariot driver was Sir Francis Wilfby Wollaton Wagonway was built in Nottinghamshire in 1603-1604 to transport coal. [3]
In Durham, 1,671 railroads were used to facilitate the delivery of coal; the first of whom is Tanfield Wagonway . [4] Most of them were built in the 17th-18th centuries by trams or wagon tracks. They made it possible to move several wagons at the same time, using simple and parallel wooden rails drawn by horse-drawn carriages with simple flanged steel wheels. The first common railroad in the world was the Lake Railroad , a narrow railroad built near Wakefield , West Yorkshire , England . [5] [6] [7]
Despite the idea of wooden rails, wagon tracks appeared in Germany in the 16th century, and the first use of steam locomotives was in Britain. Its first "rails" were straight, and the horse-drawn carriages were built of parallel rails of moving wood. This was achieved in 1793. Benjamin Outram built an L-shaped tramway with a length of cast iron rails. When these rails became obsolete , William Jessop began producing cast iron rails without a guide - instead of a flange , the wheels of the cart had wheels. The cast iron was brittle and therefore the rails were prone to breakage easily. Consequently, in 1820, John Birkenshaw introduced the method of rolling iron rails used since that time.

The time of the first service to passengers was Oystermut in 1807, photograph of 1870
The first passenger railway was a tram in 1807 when horse-drawn carriages were available in Oystermouth, using the Swansea and Mumbles railways .
In 1802, Richard Trevithick first (unknown) designed and built a locomotive to move on smooth rails. [8]

Salamanca 1812
The first commercially successful locomotive was the 4-foot (1,219 mm) Middleton Railroad , built in 1812 by John Blenkinsop and Matthew Murray , built by Salamanca . [9] The Salamanka is a rack and pinion locomotive, with two cylinders driven by gears mounted on the top of a central gas boiler.
In 1813, William Hadley and Timothy Hackworth developed a locomotive ( blowing Billy ) for use on the tramway between Stockton and Darlington . [10] The piston rods extending upwards into Billy's blowing turn beams, which in turn are connected to the rod by a crankshaft under the frames that control the gear transmissions attached to the wheels. This means that the wheels were combined to create a better traction. A year later, George Stevenson perfected this design with his first locomotive, the Bluxer , [11] which was the first locomotive to use single-flange wheels.
This design convinced proponents of the proposed Stockton and Darlington Railroad Stevenson appointment engineer for the line in 1821. Although the cars were originally planned to be driven by horses, Stevenson conducted a new study on the route to allow steam to be transported. The law was later amended to allow the use of steam locomotives and the carriage of passengers by rail. The 25-mile (40 km) line was opened on September 27, 1825, and with the help of Stevenson, the Locomotive № 1 was the world's first general-purpose locomotive.
1830 - 1922: Early development
Main article: History of railway transport in Great Britain 1830–1922
In 1830, the Liverpool and Manchester Railways were opened. This was a model for modern railways. It was the first intercity passenger railway in the world and the first railway to have the “planned” services, terminals and services we know today. The railroad carries freight and passengers, as well as replacing the 1.26-mile Tunnel to the south of Liverpool’s Park Lane railway freight station at the world’s first commercial terminal . In 1836, the line was extended to the end of Liverpool through the 1.1-mile-long tunnel at Lime Street Station in downtown Liverpool.
Many of the first general railways were built as local railway connections operated by small railway companies. As speeds increased, more transport lines began to be built, often without taking into account their traffic potential. The 1840s were the biggest decade for railway growth. In 1840, at the beginning of the decade, railway lines in Britain were scarce and scattered, but within a decade an almost complete network was built and most of the towns and villages had a railway connection . ] sometimes two or three. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, until a few large companies remained, most of the pioneering independent railway companies merged or were acquired by competitors (see Mania Railway ).
There has also been a steady increase in government involvement during this period, especially in security matters. 1840 Appointment of Railway Inspectors by the Trade Council authorized by the Railway Regulation Act [ 12] . The Railway Inspectorate was established in 1840 to identify the causes of accidents and recommend ways to prevent them. [13] As early as 1844, a bill was introduced in parliament proposing the purchase of railways by the state; this was not accepted. However, this has led to the introduction of minimum standards for the construction of wagons [14] and the mandatory provision of level 3 accommodation for passengers called " Parliamentary trains ".
After the mid-1870s, railway companies ceased to make a profit. [15] The first railroads proposed by nationalization were made by William Ewart Gladstone in the early 1840s, and calls for nationalization continued throughout this century, F. Keddell wrote in 1890 that will be proof of the use of the gyrus. " helped to ensure the well-being of the forces and the people. But the opposite is true. " [16] During the First World War , the whole network came under government control . A number of advantages of unification and planning were identified. However, conservative members of the wartime coalition government in 1921 opposed the formal nationalization of the railways.
1923 - 1947: Big Four
Main article: History of railway transport in Great Britain from 1923 to 1947
On January 1, 1923, almost all railway companies were grouped into the Big Four : the Great Western Railway , the London and Northeast Railways , the London, Midland and Scottish Railways, and the South . railway companies. [17] A number of other previously operating joint railways were separated from the Big Four; these include the Somerset and Dorset joint railways and the Midland and Great North joint railways . The "Big Four" were joint-stock companies that continued the railway system until December 31, 1947.

The LNER A4 class Simplified high-speed trains built in the 1930s offered a high-speed alternative to motor vehicles
In the 1920s and 1930s, competition from motorists significantly reduced rail revenues, although the need for maintenance in the network was never high, as investments had been delayed for the past decade. Railway companies have accused the government of favoring the transportation of vehicles by building roads subsidized by the taxpayer, while limiting the railway industry’s ability to use flexible prices because it was done at national negotiated rates. The government’s response was to submit several vague reports; The Salter report eventually suggested taxing and increasing taxes to finance direct roads to motor vehicles, and introduced excise taxes and fuel duties on motor vehicles. He also stressed that many small lanes can never compete with road transport. Although changes in road prices have helped them survive, the railways have entered a period of slow decline due to a lack of investment and changes in transport policy and lifestyle.
During World War II, company administrators came together and worked effectively as one company. Supporting the country’s “war efforts” has severely damaged railway resources and lags far behind in maintenance. After 1945, for both practical and ideological reasons, the government decided to include the railway service in the public sector .
1948 - 1994: British Railways

A British Rail film showing how BR railways are united.
Main article: History of railway transport in the UK 1948-1994
From the beginning of 1948 the railways were nationalized to form the British Railways (the latter "British Rail") under the control of the British Transport Commission . [18] Although there have been a few initial changes to the service, usage has increased and the network has generated revenue. Reconstruction of roads and stations was completed by 1954. Revenues from the railroads declined, and in 1955 the network ceased to be profitable again. In the mid-1950s, a modernization plan saw an emergency reduction of steam-replacing diesel and electric rolling stock to millions of pounds, but the expected road-to-rail transition did not materialize and losses were high. began to stake. [19] This failure to make railways more profitable through investment has forced governments with all sorts of political views to limit railway investment by dripping and seeking the economy with recessions.
The pursuit of profit led to a significant decline in the network in the mid-1960s. Dr. Richard Beeching was commissioned by the government to reorganize the railways (" Pine Ax "). [20] [21] As a result of this policy, many sectors and secondary routes were closed as they were found to be uneconomical. The closure of stations serving rural communities has removed the feeding vehicles from the passenger service on the main route. The closure of many freight depots used by major industries such as coal and iron has led to the transfer of large amounts of cargo to vehicles. The closures were not very popular with the general public at the time and continue to be so today. [22]
Passenger rates continued to decline steadily from the late 1950s to the late 1970s. [23] At that time, passenger service experienced a period of recovery with the introduction of high-speed InterCity 125 trains in the late 70s and early 80s. [24] In the 1980s, government-funded and higher inflation reduced prices, but the service remained more cost-effective. Intercity was helpful. InterCity has become one of the UK’s 150 largest companies, traveling from downtown to downtown Aberdeen and Inverness from north to Pool and Penzance to the south. [25]
In 1994-1997, British Rail was privatized . [26] Railways , which own the road and infrastructure , provided passenger operations to private sector operators on a franchise basis (initially there were 25 franchises), and freight services were provided directly. sold (six companies were formed, but five of them were sold to a single buyer). [27] Under the conservative government , John Major said privatization would improve passenger service. Since then, passenger rates have risen sharply. [28]
Since 1995: after privatization
Main articles: History of railway transport in the UK up to 1995, impact of British Rail privatization and 2016–18 UK railway attacks

The Great Western Railway in London terminology at Paddington

The share of railways in 1952-2017 [29]

The GB railway subsidy of 1985-2019 was followed by a short-term decline and subsequent rise after price privatization. The fall of Hatfield in 2000 further increased the fund Cross Grid and HS2
Since privatization , the number of passengers has grown rapidly; By 2010, railroads had carried more passengers since the 1920s. [30] and by 2014, passenger numbers had peaked, doubling in the 20 years since privatization. The fare for trains is more expensive than on British Rail. [31]
After privatization, the railways became much safer and are now considered the safest in Europe. [32] However, shortly after privatization, the public image of the railroad was tarnished by some well-known accidents. These include the Southall Railroad Accident (where a faulty train passed an intermittent stop signal with the Automatic Alarm System ), [33] The Ladbrok Grove Rail Accident (as well as a train stop signal). tooth cause) [34] [35] and an accident at Hatfield (as a result of rail breakage due to the development of microscopic cracks). [36]
Following the crash in Hatfield, Railtrack Railway Infrastructure Company restricted more than 1,200 emergency speeds across its network and launched a costly road replacement program across the country. As a result, a serious operational disruption in the national network and the company's spiral costs were put in place as a result of a series of measures that resulted in the final collapse of the company and its replacement . [37]
Since April 2016, the British railway network has been severely damaged in many cases by extensive rail shocks , affecting rail franchises across the country. [38] The industrial movement began in the South as a dispute over operational planning for drivers only, [39] and later expanded to cover a variety of issues affecting the railway industry; [40] As of February 2018, most of the industrial shares remain unresolved, with most strikes planned. [41] The scale, impact, and severity of the nationwide railway strikes were compared with the 1984-85 miners' strike by the media. [ Quote ]
As of 2018, state subsidies to the railway industry were almost three times higher than in the late 1980s. [42]
See also
Economic History of the United Kingdom
History of railway transport
Rail transport in the UK
Rail freight in the UK
List of the first British railway companies
History of railway transport in Ireland
British Postal System
List of railway lines in the UK
List of closed railway lines in the UK
British narrow gauge railways
British industrial narrow gauge railways
Electrification of railways in the UK
Several British electric units
British railway wagons and diesel fuel
History for centuries
History of rail transport in Great Britain until 1830
History of railway transport in Great Britain 1830–1922
History of rail transport in Great Britain in 1923–1947
History of rail transport in the UK 1948-1994
History of rail transport in the UK until 1995
Books
^ Warren Ellison, Samuel Murphy, and Richard Smith, Early Railroad in the Koldbeck Fields of Germany in G. Boyes (ed.), Early Railroads 4: Documents of the 4th International Railway Conference 2008 (Six Martlets, Sudbury, 2010), pages 52-69.
^ Jones, Mark (2012). Lancashire Railways - Steam History. Newbury: Books in the Village. p. 5. ISBN 978 1 84674 298 9 .
^ Hilton, Stewart (2007). Great experience: the birth of the railway age in 1820-1845. Yan Allan Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7110-3172-2 .
^ Hamilton Ellis (1968). Descriptive Encyclopedia of Railways. Hamlin Publishing Group. p. 12.
^ Bayliss, DA (1981). The return of the first public railway. Living History № 4 Local Guide.
^ Dawson, Paul L. (November 15, 2015). Hidden Wakefield. Amberley Publishing Limited.
^ Ambler, DV (1989). History and practice of British railways: a new research agenda. Ashgabat.
^ Trevitik, Francis (1872). The Life of Richard Trevithick: Information on His Inventions, Vol . E. & FN Spon.
^ Hamilton Ellis (1968). Descriptive Encyclopedia of Railways. Hamlin Publishing Group. p. 20.
^ "Blowing Billy . " Spartak Education. Archived original on November 15, 2006. Retrieved November 24, 2006.
^ "History of Locomotives . " Archived original on December 5, 2006. Retrieved November 24, 2006.
^ The Railway Regulation Act of 1840 , originally published by HMSO; link Railway Archive
^ Hall, Stanley (September 28, 1990). Railroad Detectives: A 150-Year-Old Epic of Railway Inspection. Shepperton: Yan Allan Ltd. ISBN 978-0-7110-1929-4 .
^ 1844 Railway Regulation Act , originally published by HMSO; link Railway Archive
^ Mitchell, Brayan; Xambers, David; Crafts, Nikolai (August 2009). "How good was the profitability of British railways in 1870-1912 ?" (PDF). University of Warwick. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved March 20, 2020.
^ Keddell, F (1890). Nationalization of our railway system: its fairness and advantages. London: modern press.
^ HM government (1921). " The Railway Act of 1921." Railway Archive. (originally published by HMSO). Retrieved November 25, 2006.
^ Government of Great Britain (1947). "Transportation Act of 1947. " Railway Archive. (Originally published by the Office of the Chancellor of the United Kingdom). Retrieved November 25, 2006.
^ "History of the British Railway Council . " National Archive. Archived from the original on October 14, 2006. Retrieved November 25, 2006.
^ British Transport Commission (1963). "Changing British Railways - Part 1: Report . " Railway Archive. (Originally published by the Office of the Chancellor of the United Kingdom). Retrieved November 25, 2006.
^ British Transport Commission (1963). "Changing British Railways - Part 2: Maps . " Railway Archive. (Originally published by the Office of the Chancellor of the United Kingdom). Retrieved November 25, 2006.
^ "Did Dr. Beeching make a mistake 50 years ago by shortening the railroad?" .
^ UK Department of Transportation Archived October 17, 2004 Return Machine (DfT), specifically Table 6.1 Transport Statistics UK 2006 Archived September 8, 2008 Recycle Bin (4MB PDF file)
^ Marsden, Colin J. (1983). British Rail 1983 Motivation: Consolidated Volume. London: Yan Allan. ISBN 978-0-7110-1284-4 .
^ "The Rise and Fall of the British Railways . " News about railway workers . December 19, 2013. Retrieved 11 November 2016.
^ Government of Great Britain (1903). "The 1993 Railway Act . " Railway Archive. (Originally published by the Office of the Chancellor of the United Kingdom). Retrieved November 26, 2006.
^ "EWS Railway - Company History . " Archived from the original on December 12, 2006. Retrieved November 26, 2006.
^ UK Railway Regulatory Authority Archived from the UK Government Web Archive (ORR) on 9 November 2008 , in particular Section 1.2 National Rail Trends 2006-2007 I Quarter Archived from the UK Government Web Archive on November 7, 2008 (PDF file)
^ "Department of Transport Statistics: Passenger Transport: Annually since 1952. "
^ "Growth of 6.9 per cent in 2010 will lead to new highs in rail traffic . " Association of Train Operating Companies . February 2011. Archived original on 25 February 2015. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
^ Swaine, John (December 1, 2008). "Tariffs for trains are 0.6 per cent higher than British Rail . " Daily Telegraph . Retrieved 7 July 2015.
^ "The UK's railways are now the safest in Europe . "
^ Professor Jon Uff (QC FREng) (2000). "Investigation Southall Rail Traffic Accident Inquiry . " Railway Archive. (Originally published by the Office of the Chancellor of the United Kingdom). Retrieved November 30, 2006.
^ Rt Hon Lord Kullen (personal computer) (2001). "Ladbrok Grove Railway Survey: Part 1 Report . " Railway Archive. (Originally published by the Office of the Chancellor of the United Kingdom). Retrieved November 30, 2006.
^ Rt Hon Lord Kullen (personal computer) (2001). "Ladbrok Grove Railroad Survey: Part 2 Report . " Railway Archive. (Originally published by the Office of the Chancellor of the United Kingdom). Retrieved November 30, 2006.
^ Railway safety; Standards Board (2004). "Hatfield Report and Recommendations . " Railway Archive. (Originally published by the Office of the Chancellor of the United Kingdom). Retrieved November 30, 2006.
^ "The network railway is our history . " Network Rail website. Retrieved November 30, 2006.
^ "Strikes along with train safety . " BBC news. January 8, 2018.
^ "The southern rail strike is causing disruptions . " BBC news. April 26, 2016.
^ "Strikes along with train safety . " BBC news. January 8, 2018.
^ "RMT is announcing a new strike on the southern railway . " BBC news. February 22, 2018.
^ Rahman, Grace (November 7, 2018). "How much subsidy does the government give to the railways?" . Exact fact. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
Simmons, Jack ; Biddl, Gordon, ed. (1999). Oxford Partner British Railways History: 1603 to 1990 (2nd ed.).
White, HP (1986). Forgotten railways. Newton Abbot, Devon: David St. John Thomas. ISBN 978-0-946537-13-6 .
Westwood, Jon. Described history of railways. Brompton books.