Publisher's Synopsis
The period 1895 to 1914 was the "golden" age of the Great Western Railway, when it emerged from a state of decline and stagnation at the end of the 19th century to become one of the foremost railways in the country. Described as the "great awakening", the period saw tremendous modernization and growth - train services were improved, new and more direct lines were built and new locomotives and rolling stock were introduced. Using archive photographs, artefacts and memorabilia as well as drawing on images of the Great Western railway in preservation, the author paints a portrait of "God's wonderful railway" at the height of its prosperity and influence.
