Of all the great innovations of the nineteenth century, the railways probably contributed most. In London, lines to the docks enabled goods from abroad to be transported all over the country in a matter of hours.

The Victorians were enthusiastic railway builders, both above and below ground, and towns and villages outside London were soon connected by rail to the capital. This map shows that, when they had finished, London had the finest railway network in the world, much of which is still intact. There is a useful introduction by Geoffrey Kichenside.

Old House Books. Presented in a slipcase.