All in a Day's Work: Life on the GWR. - Softcover

Bryan, Tim

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0711029644 ISBN 13: 9780711029644

Publisher: Ian Allan Publishing, 2004

Synopsis

Title: All In A Day's Work: Life On The GWR

At the height of the railway age, the railway industry provided employment for over one million workers in Britain. Although the top-link driver on the great named expresses of the age of steam may have been the pinnacle in terms of popular perception, these individuals could only have got there with the assistance of myriad other trades and after years of progressing through the more junior grades of footplate staff. From the humble junior porter through to the chairman of the board, the railways employed a vast array of different trades, all of whom were essential to the smooth running of the industry. Some of these trades, such as the track gangs, are still an important part of the maintenance of the modern railway, but others, such as blacksmiths, have now disappeared. Even if a trade still exists, its day-to-day operations are likely to have been radically changed in the 180 years' of main line railway operation in Britain.

Drawing upon the extensive archives of the Great Western Railway, now housed in Steam: Museum of the Great Western at Swindon, Tim Bryan provides in All in a Day's Work: Life on the GWR a portrait of life as a railway worker during the age of steam. Whilst to the outsider, particularly to the aspiring engine driver, life on the railways may have appeared glamorous, the reality, particularly for those in the more manual jobs, was often harsh, dirty and dangerous. This was an era before 'hi-vis' jackets and Health & Safety legislation, before much of the labour-saving machinery of the late 20th century was developed, an age when pay was often poor and expectations for promotion limited. In examining the role of the disparate trades involved in the railway industry, the author provides both an evocative portrait of a long-lost era and also a social history that will have a resonance for all those countless families with relatives who once worked in the railway industry.

About this title

About the Author

Born in Bristol, Tim studied geography at the University of Wales Aberystwyth before working briefly as a librarian. He has worked in museums for more than 25 years, beginning his career at the Great Western Railway Museum in Swindon in 1983 before moving to the award-winning STEAM: Museum of the GWR in 2000 as Collections Manager and then General Manager. Since 2004 he has been Head of Collections and Interpretation at the Heritage Motor Centre Gaydon. Tim is the author of eight books and many articles and reviews on railway and heritage subjects. The Great Western Railway - A Celebration is his third title for Ian Allan.

Edition details

• Publisher: Ian Allan Publishing
• Publication date: 2004
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0711029644
• ISBN 13: 9780711029644
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 160