Description:
Editorial Reviews
Review
“Written with great confidence and considerable aplomb, The Coming of the Railway is a must for the train enthusiast.”—Jeremy Black, New Criterion
“With impressive research and superb prose, Gwyn traces the complex evolution of railway technology, finance, and operating practices. . . . [He] succeeds brilliantly.”—Albert Churella, Technology and Culture
Winner of the Railway and Canal Historical Society Book Award 2024
“The nineteenth century was defined by the railway. In this compelling new book David Gwyn weaves together the disparate strands that led to its emergence as the singular new technology of its age; a monumental study, erudite, authoritative, and full of wider historical insights.”—Sir Neil Cossons, former director of the Science Museum London
“This book is a real eye-opener for rail enthusiasts and scholars with a detailed and well researched account of the dawn of the railways. The rapid advancement in technology in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries that the railways brought our society is truly astounding.”—Siddy Holloway, historian and presenter
“A fresh perspective on the early railway story across time and world space, with a wealth of intriguing details. Gwyn ably demonstrates the role played by overlapping technologies, harmonising under the influence of shaping forces.”—Susan Major, author of Early Victorian Railway Excursions
“The railways were the most important invention of the nineteenth century, but they only emerged thanks to a series of technological developments. This book documents these in a thorough and revealing way which makes it essential reading for anyone interested in the origins of this great invention.”—Christian Wolmar, author of The Great Railway Revolution
About the Author
Reviews:
5.0 out of 5 stars well organized, but that leads to it being a little clunky and predictable. Like atextbook.
I'm a maven of railroad social history. this book works well with that.
Great
Great
The rise of a technology that changed the world
It’s not an exaggeration to say that railways changed the world. They made possible easier movement of minerals and goods, allowed people who had never been able to travel much beyond the next village to cover longer distances, gave rise to a new cadre of mechanical and civil engineers, and – in their attraction to investors and speculators – provided the ‘dotcom’ boom of their era.Gwyn charts the development of the railway from the earliest wooden waggonways through to the use of iron rails and steam power that saw networks begin to spread rapidly across Europe and America by the mid-19th century.This is mostly a very readable history, aided by many period illustrations. It can get a bit technical in parts though – if you haven’t got your head around the difference between plateways, Losh rails, fishbelly rails and wrought iron rails by the end you haven’t been paying attention!It does feel a little hurried in the last few chapters, simply because it’s not possible to cover increasingly rapid developments to the same level of detail. I’d also like to have seen a bit more on the social changes that these later chapters touch on. If you’re at all interested in railways, however, you’ll find this a fascinating read.
Narrative gets lost in a mass of technical details
I really wanted to like this book since it’s a fascinating topic and author has clearly done a vast amount of research.But in truth the author and the reader just get lost amidst page after page of intense technical details about the different kinds of rails, sleepers, the little clips which hold the rails to the sleepers and so on. Whole paragraphs are spent listing out different English coal mines and how many horses each used, while the early development of railways in continental Europe gets about the same amount of space. As another reviewer has commented, there is the same inbalance chronologically with early developments taking too much of the book and later developments undercooked.It also needs a good proofing, to avoid stuff like Page 88 where in one paragraph water powered inclines are described as common in North Wales, only for the next paragraph to say they didn’t work in places with low rainfall such as Wales.
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The Coming of the Railway: A New Global History, 1750-1850
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Visit the Yale University Press Store
The Coming of the Railway: A New Global History, 1750-1850
AED24824
Quantity:
Order today to get by 7-14 business days
This item qualifies for free delivery
Imported From: United States
At BOLO, we work hard to ensure the products you receive are new, genuine, and sourced from reputable suppliers.
BOLO is not an authorized or official retailer for most brands, nor are we affiliated with manufacturers unless specifically stated on a product page. Instead, we source verified sellers, authorized distributors or directly from the manufacturer.
Each product undergoes thorough inspection and verification at our consolidation and fulfilment centers to ensure it meets our strict authenticity and quality standards before being shipped and delivered to you.
If you ever have concerns regarding the authenticity of a product purchased from us, please contact Bolo Support. We will review your inquiry promptly and, if necessary, provide documentation verifying authenticity or offer a suitable resolution.
Your trust is our top priority, and we are committed to maintaining transparency and integrity in every transaction.
All product information, images, descriptions, and reviews originate from the manufacturer or from trusted sellers overseas. BOLO is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or an authorized retailer for most brands listed on our website unless stated otherwise.
While we strive to display accurate information, variations in packaging, labeling, instructions, or formulation may occasionally occur due to regional differences or supplier updates. For detailed or manufacturer-specific information, please contact the brand directly or reach out to BOLO Support for assistance.
Unless otherwise stated, all prices displayed on the product page include applicable taxes and import duties.
BOLO operates in accordance with the laws and regulations of United Arab Emirates. Any items found to be restricted or prohibited for sale within the UAE will be cancelled prior to shipment. We take proactive measures to ensure that only products permitted for sale in United Arab Emirates are listed on our website.
All items are shipped by air, and any products classified as “Dangerous Goods (DG)” under IATA regulations will be removed from the order and cancelled.
All orders are processed manually, and we make every effort to process them promptly once confirmed. Products cancelled due to the above reasons will be permanently removed from listings across the website.
Description:
Editorial Reviews
Review
“Written with great confidence and considerable aplomb, The Coming of the Railway is a must for the train enthusiast.”—Jeremy Black, New Criterion
“With impressive research and superb prose, Gwyn traces the complex evolution of railway technology, finance, and operating practices. . . . [He] succeeds brilliantly.”—Albert Churella, Technology and Culture
Winner of the Railway and Canal Historical Society Book Award 2024
“The nineteenth century was defined by the railway. In this compelling new book David Gwyn weaves together the disparate strands that led to its emergence as the singular new technology of its age; a monumental study, erudite, authoritative, and full of wider historical insights.”—Sir Neil Cossons, former director of the Science Museum London
“This book is a real eye-opener for rail enthusiasts and scholars with a detailed and well researched account of the dawn of the railways. The rapid advancement in technology in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries that the railways brought our society is truly astounding.”—Siddy Holloway, historian and presenter
“A fresh perspective on the early railway story across time and world space, with a wealth of intriguing details. Gwyn ably demonstrates the role played by overlapping technologies, harmonising under the influence of shaping forces.”—Susan Major, author of Early Victorian Railway Excursions
“The railways were the most important invention of the nineteenth century, but they only emerged thanks to a series of technological developments. This book documents these in a thorough and revealing way which makes it essential reading for anyone interested in the origins of this great invention.”—Christian Wolmar, author of The Great Railway Revolution
About the Author
Reviews:
5.0 out of 5 stars well organized, but that leads to it being a little clunky and predictable. Like atextbook.
I'm a maven of railroad social history. this book works well with that.
Great
Great
The rise of a technology that changed the world
It’s not an exaggeration to say that railways changed the world. They made possible easier movement of minerals and goods, allowed people who had never been able to travel much beyond the next village to cover longer distances, gave rise to a new cadre of mechanical and civil engineers, and – in their attraction to investors and speculators – provided the ‘dotcom’ boom of their era.Gwyn charts the development of the railway from the earliest wooden waggonways through to the use of iron rails and steam power that saw networks begin to spread rapidly across Europe and America by the mid-19th century.This is mostly a very readable history, aided by many period illustrations. It can get a bit technical in parts though – if you haven’t got your head around the difference between plateways, Losh rails, fishbelly rails and wrought iron rails by the end you haven’t been paying attention!It does feel a little hurried in the last few chapters, simply because it’s not possible to cover increasingly rapid developments to the same level of detail. I’d also like to have seen a bit more on the social changes that these later chapters touch on. If you’re at all interested in railways, however, you’ll find this a fascinating read.
Narrative gets lost in a mass of technical details
I really wanted to like this book since it’s a fascinating topic and author has clearly done a vast amount of research.But in truth the author and the reader just get lost amidst page after page of intense technical details about the different kinds of rails, sleepers, the little clips which hold the rails to the sleepers and so on. Whole paragraphs are spent listing out different English coal mines and how many horses each used, while the early development of railways in continental Europe gets about the same amount of space. As another reviewer has commented, there is the same inbalance chronologically with early developments taking too much of the book and later developments undercooked.It also needs a good proofing, to avoid stuff like Page 88 where in one paragraph water powered inclines are described as common in North Wales, only for the next paragraph to say they didn’t work in places with low rainfall such as Wales.
Similar suggestions by Bolo
More from this brand
Similar items from “History”
Share with
Or share with link
https://www.bolo.ae/products/U0300267894