Broad Gauge Railways

by Tim Bryan

Overview

Isambard Kingdom Brunel considered the Great Western Railway the "finest work in England" and he contributed many groundbreaking features, none so unorthodox as the decision not to adopt the "standard" track gauge of 4ft 8½in and instead introduce the new 'broad gauge' of 7ft ¼in. Describing the rationale behind the choice of broad gauge, and also the unique track and locomotives used, this beautifully illustrated introduction to broad gauge railways chronicles the building of the original GWR between Bristol and London, and the expansion of that original 112-mile main line into a network stretching across the West of England, Wales and the Midlands. It describes how the clash between broad and narrow led to the "Battle of the Gauges" and also provides a list of places to visit where broad gauge artifacts still survive.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781784422776
Publisher:	Bloomsbury USA
Publication date:	05/22/2018
Series:	Shire Library , #850
Pages:	64
Product dimensions:	5.70(w) x 8.20(h) x 0.30(d)

About the Author

Tim Bryan worked as curator at the GWR and STEAM museums in Swindon for more than twenty years and is now Director of the Brunel Institute at the SS Great Britain in Bristol. He is the author of several books on railway and heritage topics and has written six titles for Shire. He lives in Swindon, UK.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Anatomy of the Broad Gauge

Brunel's Great Western

Broad Gauge Empire

Death of the Broad Gauge

Broad Gauge Swindon

Locomotives and Rolling Stock

Places to Visit

Further Reading

Index