Transport- Railways Flashcards
Explain why railways were needed…
Old methods of transport, not good enough
Coach- slow + expensive
Canals were built- cheaper but not good enough
Explain why there was a decline in canals ..
Slow
Restricted by landscape
Varied in width and depth- goods had to be transported to different boats
One journey used many different canal companies
Locks slowed movement
Expensive
Factories could have Their own railway siding- better than canals
Freeze over in the winter
Dry out in the summer
Describe how railways started off and how they developed…
Wheeled trucks moving on rails- wagonways , used to carry coal
Old wooden rails were replaced with iron rails that were harder and lasted longer
Richard Trevithick added steam engine
George Stephenson designed the rocket and Stockton to Darlington and Liverpool to Manchester
Describe the people for the railways…
The unemployed - get a job related to railways
Factory owner- get raw materials quickly and cheaply, send there products all over Britain
Fishermen- send fresh fish cheaply
Farmers- send fresh produce daily
Middle class- get out of the city, increased communication, post + newspapers
Describe the people against the railways…
Coach and canal owners- go out of business
Doctors- high speeds- bad for people’s health, heart attacks
Farmers- sparks would burn crops, noise could scare cows- no milk
Ministers- devils invention
Landowners- scare foxes 🦊- no hunting and shooting
Describe the structures that were built to create a cheap, easy, level route for the railways…
Bridges- cross a river
Tunnels and cuttings- through the hills
Embankment- raised area of ground to make sure the line was flat, viaducts built across valleys
Floating rafts- to cross marsh and bog lands
Describe the dangerous work done by the navvies when building tunnels
Dangers of falling down ventilation shafts- die
Roof collapsing
Describe the dangerous work done by the navvies when making cuttings
Men run wheelbarrows of earth and rock up slippery planks at the side of the cutting- wheelbarrow attached to horse
Could be crushed by the wheelbarrow
Dynamite was also used
Could be injured by flying rock from explosions
Describe the dangerous work done by the navvies when building embankments
Wagon filled with rubble and horse was tied to the side of it
The navvy would lead the horse to the edge of embankment and release the horses from the wagon
Could be thrown over the embankment or crushed by horse + wagon
Describe how railways expanded
expansion between 1830s +1840s
People invested
1850 over 6000 miles of track
1848 Glasgow + Edinburgh were linked to London
Highlands took longer - location/ terrain
1900- 18500 miles
Describe the social impact of Railways…
Better diet- fresh produce transported
Communications improved- newspapers + letters sent all over
Sport- travel to matches, national + regional leagues
Special events- London exhibition
Holidays- resorts- St Andrews
Middle class- move to suburbs,
Variety of goods- manufactured goods, from all over country
Time standardised
Describe the economic impact of railways…
Stage coaches, inns and canal companies- out of business
Countryside for shopping towns grew
New buildings- hotels, pubs
Ports and harbours exports increased
Navvies got jobs- drivers, station masters
Coal needed- mining industry benefit
Materials used building railways benefit iron works
Towns grew specialising in railways
Farming and fishing benefited, expanded for towns, animals sent in cattle trucks, produce sent all over
Describe how the government improved safety and comfort- railways….
Railway inspectors- kept an eye on safety and charges
1844 railway act- carriages had to have roofs, seats, doors and windows
1845 gauge act all lines to have the same gauge and rails would be the same distance apart
Describe how technology improved safety and journey times…
Signals introduced- so one train could not enter a block until the other left
Telegraph- send messages and prevent accidents
Continuous brake introduced- if they detached from the engine brake could stop coaches from running away
Electric light signals- controlled track
Dead mans handle- stopped trains automatically if the driver was unable to
Journey times became shorter
