Between 1830-1880, transport in Britain was transformed by the building of a huge railway network. The railways were needed for the transport of raw materials and manufactured goods. Railways brought changes to industry, society and politics.
The railway network in Britain could not have developed without the help of the British government.
An Act of Parliament was needed to build a railway line, but the government made no attempt to limit the number of lines built or to specify whether the lines should even link up.
Once railways became a success, Parliament introduced the 1844 Railway Act, which required railway companies to sell cheap tickets. This allowed the working class to travel by train - the so-called Parliamentary train.
In 1846, Parliament also passed the Gauge Act, which forced railway lines to be built at a uniform width of 4 feet, 8.5 inches across the country.
