Anthony Burton

Ten Transport Pioneers Who Changed the World explores ten defining moments in the history of transport, spanning five centuries – from the age of sailing ships to the dawn of the modern jetliner. Its cast of innovators range from Cornish mining pioneer Richard Trevithick to the French nobleman Marquis Jouffroy d’Abbans, who each played a part in reshaping how we travel. Across land, sea and sky, their breakthroughs charted leaps in development that created lasting change: aqueducts and flights of locks that revolutionised inland waterways; paddle steamers and iron-hulled ships that redefined maritime power; the hot-air balloon and the jet engine that conquered the air; and the internal combustion engine and first electric locomotive that propelled transport forward. These are stories of bold ideas and those who conceived them – pioneers who challenged convention and pushed the boundaries of what seemed possible.

This book celebrates the bicentenary of the opening of the Stockton & Darlington Railway by looking, not at locomotives, but at the rolling stock behind them, both passenger vehicles and goods wagons. 1825 saw the first train load of passengers hauled by a steam locomotive, but it was an experience not to be immediately repeated, as the Stockton & Darlington passenger service after the opening ceremony was by a horse-drawn stage coach. It was not long, however, before steam took over on other lines. At first, travel was basic – the first class had closed carriages, second class open carriages with a canopy for cover, while the third class were little more than goods wagons with seats. The book traces the development of carriages over the years with increasing levels of comfort – taking the story right up to the present day. There are sections on the special trains, the most glamorous side of travel, as well as the familiar everyday coaches. It also looks as the experience of train travel over the years, including a section on accidents. Freight movement has also changed with the times, from the days when trains were made up of loose-coupled wagons to the container trains of today. There is a last look at the railway past and the preserved railways that recreate the age of steam.