Ever since 1807, when horse-drawn carriages plied their way on the tracks on the very first passenger-carrying public railway, the UK has had an extraordinarily fruitful relationship with rail travel. Many towns in Britain owe their development and even identity to rail. So, all aboard for a whistle-stop tour of five of UK towns that have a rich railway history.
Shildon, County Durham
Modern railway transport had its birth in the small town of Shildon, in County Durham. In 1825, local industrialists financed the building of the world’s first permanent steam locomotive line, primarily to carry coal from the adjacent coalfield. Shildon’s newfound connectivity to the nation resulted in a twenty-fold population increase in twenty years. The town is still reachable on the Stockton & Darlington line and, using the usual channels, passengers can book train tickets, national rail services being very much the lifeblood of the town.
York
York’s debt to railways is huge. The rapid connection to London (13 trains a day by the 1850s) spurred enormous growth and the country’s largest station was built in 1877, seeing 294 trains arriving daily by 1888. Trade and tourism boomed, and exhibitions in 1860 and 1879 attracted nearly 870,000 attendees, the majority coming by train. Given York’s connection to railways, it is unsurprising that the National Railway Museum and Institute of Railway Studies are situated here.
Cheshire
A floorwards glance in many train carriages will give the name of the next town on this list. For 180 years, the factory known as Crewe Works has been churning out trains and train components, and while it is now a more modest operation than it was at its peak when it employed over 20000 workers, the railway engineering facility there is still a key part of the network and of the town.
Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth owes its metamorphosis into a tourist destination almost entirely to three local railway developments. The main line service, opened in 1864, brought crowds from Birmingham, 122 miles away. Once there, fun-seekers could (and still can) opt for a jaunt into the countryside on the Vale of Rheidol narrow gauge line (for a long time the only steam service on the British Rail network). Or perhaps a trip up Constitution Hill on the famous Aberystwyth Cliff Railway, a funicular service which whisks one to the top at the heady pace of 4 miles per hour!
Lancashire
Film buffs will be very familiar with our next stop. Arguably the most cinematically significant station of all time is to be found in the small market town of Carnforth, Lancashire. It was here that David Lean filmed the classic Brief Encounter and ever since, sightseers in their droves have travelled here to experience the surroundings of this beautifully restored piece of railway and celluloid history. The town has benefitted hugely as a result.
Trains have shaped our modern towns like few other developments. The betterment they have delivered for people of all economic backgrounds has transformed lives and communities beyond all recognition.
“All change!”, indeed.
