Highly illustrated volume covering the emergence of the modern railway in a unique, essentially geographical way. Contemporary maps, many never before published, showing the locations and routes of the early railways. Highly illustrated, for in addition to the maps it has photos of most of the surviving first locomotives from collections around the world, and of replicas too, where they exist. Much of the early railway system originated in Britain, but the earliest railways in France, Germany, and the rest of continental Europe are also considered, as are railways in North America and elsewhere. Several sections cover the emergence of the first steam locomotives, in particular those of Trevithick, Blenkinsop, Chapman, and Stephenson, and the historically important Stockton & Darlington and Liverpool & Manchester railways in detail. In addition to mainstream railways, atmospheric railways are considered--as a technically sound system that failed because of the unavailability of suitable materials--plus electric railways, underground railways, monorails, and mountain (rack) railways, all of which have fascinating histories.

Report for 1879/1880 includes information on state railways from their beginning.