Featured articles from #BeyondTheTracks200

Since their inception, the railways in Great Britain haven’t just been a faster way for people to get from A to B, they’ve also been a vehicle for social mobility.

In particular, the explosion of the railways throughout the Industrial Revolution meant new jobs, industries and towns, as well as better access to education, places and ideas.

A legacy of social mobility in rail

Since their inception, the railways have facilitated the movement of goods and people. With industrial counties growing by 38% more than the average county between 1801 and 1851, rail’s impact on the growth of industries and towns was remarkable.

The advent of rail also created jobs directly in construction, operation, and maintenance, and alongside this, they facilitated the movement of workers to areas with better employment prospects, including those outside of agriculture.

This economic growth created new opportunities and fostered social mobility.

Suddenly, more people were able to afford to travel further in their time off work, and by the start of the 20^th century, over 1,100 million passengers were travelling by rail in Great Britain. This stimulated tourism and leisure activities, exposing people to different social and cultural environments, and broadening their horizons and perspectives.

The railways also allowed people to travel to educational institutions and training centres, promoting access to skills development and career advancement.

Latest from #BeyondTheTracks200

Since their inception, the railways in Great Britain haven’t just been a faster way for people to get from A to B, they’ve also been a vehicle for social mobility.

In particular, the explosion of the railways throughout the Industrial Revolution meant new jobs, industries and towns, as well as better access to education, places and ideas.

A legacy of social mobility in rail

Since their inception, the railways have facilitated the movement of goods and people. With industrial counties growing by 38% more than the average county between 1801 and 1851, rail’s impact on the growth of industries and towns was remarkable.

The advent of rail also created jobs directly in construction, operation, and maintenance, and alongside this, they facilitated the movement of workers to areas with better employment prospects, including those outside of agriculture.

This economic growth created new opportunities and fostered social mobility.

Suddenly, more people were able to afford to travel further in their time off work, and by the start of the 20^th century, over 1,100 million passengers were travelling by rail in Great Britain. This stimulated tourism and leisure activities, exposing people to different social and cultural environments, and broadening their horizons and perspectives.

The railways also allowed people to travel to educational institutions and training centres, promoting access to skills development and career advancement.