Early Train Travel

Train and railways stations are such a common sight now, it is hard to believe that at
one time they did not exist. Before the passenger train was developed, the only ways to
travel – if people travelled at all –were on foot, by boat, on horseback or camel, or by
horse-drawn carriages or carts.

The earliest railways consisted of wagons pulled along rails by horses and were used for
transporting raw materials and goods. The invention of the steam engine changed
things dramatically, and, in 1830, the Liverpool and Manchester Railway was opened in
the north of England, the world’s first passenger railway as we know it. The Railway Age
had begun.

People’s objections
The first railways were fiercely opposed by many people who feared that train travel
was harmful to health. Some members of the medical profession, in particular, believed
passengers might die from heart attacks caused by extreme speed. There were also
widespread feats that noisy trains would destroy the beauty and gentle pace of life in
the countryside. Furthermore, farmers opposed the idea of railways cutting through
their farmland, as they believed that the smoke and steam would destroy crops and
scare their animals.

Safety concerns
There were many accidents on the first railways, which further increased people’s
distrust. When an accident happened, it made front-page news because people were
eager to have their suspicions confirmed. As a result, people’s fears of travelling by train
grew even more intense. Those who were brave enough to travel on trains registered
numerous complaints about lost luggage, delays and breakdowns. A letter of complaint
written to a national newspaper and signed by many well-known and respected public
figures, led to the government agreeing to improve standards.

When there was evidence that safety concerns were being addressed, train travel
became increasingly popular. A standardised clock giving the same time across the
country was introduced to coordinate timetables and to avoid near misses on the tracks.
Regulations controlling the building of the tracks, bridges and tunnels were improved,
and trains were rigorously checked by specially trained railway engineers. If a problem
was found, then the train was immobilised until it was judged to be safe.

Although the travelling public could never be given guarantee of total safety, the
accident rate declined. Moreover, people gradually became reassured that train travel
was not likely to cause health problems. People of all ages and across all sections of
society slowly began to experience the excitement and novelty of travelling by train.

Wider horizons
Before the Industrial Revolution, villages and towns were much smaller, and most
people worked in the village or town where they were born. Train travel increased
opportunities because local people could travel easily to take up a wider variety of jobs
in different parts of the country. This also gave them a chance to learn new skills and
find out about a different way of life.

Finally, railway construction itself generated many new kinds of employment. Although
the workers who maintained the tracks were on low wages, getting a job as a skilled
railway engineer was highly prized as it meant a good salary and prospects.