Cathedrals of Steam - by Christian Wolmar (Hardcover)
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<p/><br></br><p><b> About the Book </b></p></br></br>London hosts twelve major railway stations, more than any other city in the world. They range from the grand and palatial, such as King's Cross and Paddington, to the modest and lesser known, such as Fenchurch Street and Cannon Street. These monuments to the railway age are the hub of London's transport system and their development, decline and recent renewal have determined the history of the capital in many ways.0Built between 1836 and 1899 by competing private railway companies seeking to outdo one another, the construction of these terminuses caused tremendous upheaval and had a widespread impact on their local surroundings. What were once called 'slums' were demolished, green spaces and cemeteries were concreted over, and vast marshalling yards, engine sheds and carriage depots sprung up in their place.0In a compelling and dramatic narrative, Christian Wolmar traces the development of these magnificent cathedrals of steam, provides unique insights into their history, with many entertaining anecdotes, and celebrates the recent transformation of several of these stations into wonderful blends of the old and the new.<p/><br></br><p><b> Book Synopsis </b></p></br></br>London hosts a dozen major railway stations, more than any comparable city. King's Cross, St Pancras, Euston, Marylebone, Paddington, Victoria, Charing Cross, Cannon Street, Waterloo, London Bridge, Liverpool Street and Fenchurch Street--these great termini are the hub of London's transport system and their complex history, of growth, decline and epic renewal has determined much of the city's character today. Christian Wolmar tells the dramatic and compelling story of how these great cathedrals of steam were built by competing private railway companies between 1836 and 1900, reveals their immediate impact on the capital and explores the evolution of the stations and the city up to the present day.<p/><br></br><p><b> Review Quotes </b></p></br></br><br>"A wonderful tour, full of vivid incident and surprising detail. Station by station, it also adds up to a portrait of London through the railway age and into our own time." --Simon Bradley, author and the joint editor of the celebrated Pevsner Architectural Guides<br><br>"Every London commuter should read this book - if commuting as we once knew it ever starts up again (and even if it doesn't). Fascinating histories abound from Queen Victoria's specially arranged signals to the driver to slow down on the way from Slough to Paddington, to Thomas Hardy's job of excavating graves to make way for tracks at St Pancras... " --Tom Chesshyre, author of eight travel books<br><br>"In this delightful homage to the capital's mighty icons of the railway age Wolmar is a worthy successor to Betjeman." --Michael Williams, Best-selling author of <i>On the Slow Train</i><br><br>"London's twelve great rail termini are the epic survivors of the Victorian age. They are the cathedrals of transportation. Wolmar brings them to life with the knowledge of an expert and the panache of a connoisseur. His words render them indestructible." --Simon Jenkins, author of<i> England's Hundred Best Views, </i>and <i>Mission Accomplished? </i><br><br>"Wolmar compellingly describes how engineers and architects creating terminus stations harked back to classical or Gothic styles. But, with the advantage of iron and glass, they could erect giant structures in months not centuries, whose scale justified the description "cathedrals of steam"." --Michael Portillo, British journalist, broadcaster, and former Conservative politician<br><p/><br></br><p><b> About the Author </b></p></br></br><b>Christian Wolmar </b>writes regularly for a wide variety of publications, including the <i>Independent, Evening Standard</i>, and<i> Rail </i>magazine, and appears frequently on TV and radio as a commentator on transport issues. His previous books include<i> Fire and Steam</i>; <i>Blood, Iron and Gold</i>; <i>Engines of War</i>; <i>The Great Railway Revolution</i>; and <i>To the Edge of the World</i>.
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