Bradley’s Railway Guide: A Journey Through Two Centuries of British Railway History 1825-2025 – Simon Bradley

11 October, 2025 at 11:00 am

The opening of the world’s first public steam railway in 1825 by the Stockton & Darlington company transformed lives and landscapes, connecting far-flung corners of the nation. Transport expert Simon Bradley’s ambitious, lavishly illustrated volume brings the story of Britain’s railways to life, covering everything from dining saloons to the iconic Rail Alphabet and revealing many forgotten aspects of how the railways changed the world. Lean back and enjoy the journey on this fascinating dive into railway history spanning two centuries of achievement and change.

Simon Bradley has written for the TLS, the Guardian, the Evening Standard, and Architectural History and is editor of the World Famous Buildings of England series.

‘The most attractive, comprehensive and easily digestible history of the oldest railway system in the world’ Michael Palin

Celebrating 200 Years of British Railways