OFF THE SHELF
A history of the Metropolitan Railway and Metro-Land
By Irene Hawkes (hardback, Crecy, 160pp, £30, ISBN 978 0 86093 674 9).
THE Metropolitan Railway 150 celebrations brought the history of the world’s first underground system to life for a new generation, and set the stage for steam specials to run over parts of the system for several years afterwards. This refreshing new history builds on the renewed public interest in this ground-breaking railway.
The Met was more than just any other Victorian railway enterprise. Opening on January 10, 1863, at a stroke it eased the notorious road congestion in the booming capital that was worsening back then, as it still is today. Not only that, but the new rapid transit to the city centre allowed the development of spacious new suburbs for commuters.
Concise, accessible, informative and highly readable throughout, here is a one-stop shop as far as the role of the railway in the development of modern London is concerned.
Containing more than 200 archive photographs and diagrams, this book
