Everything you wanted to know about the LSWR but were afraid to ask.

Hello,

I'm not sure if this is quite the correct forum on national preservation as it only broadly relates to steam traction.

Recently I stumbled across this fascinating blog by a student who's doing his research PHD on the LSWR between the period 1870-1910. It makes for interesting and insightful reading into the peculiarities of the LSWR and the management and cultural life of a railway company more generally. Most of us are rightly fascinated with the engines and rolling stock foremost and necessarily the individuals associated with the design, building and maintenance but it can also be fascinating to read about other departments and about the business of managing a large company with many departments in the late 19th and early 20th century, and the culture which grew up around these institutions amongst employees and staff. I find it really bring the times to life and places decisions made about engines and rolling stock at the time into their right context.

Anyway I thought I'd share the link here:

Turnip Rail

 

Interesting site. The chap may know his stuff, but after reading a couple of postings, I'd say he needs a good editor. Try the first two paragraphs of this post about the building of Waterloo station, and see if you agree with me. In the little welcome message in the right-hand column, he sets out his aims, including this: "and lastly, I hope endeavour to promote myself as a writer of history." So I think it's fair to expect a reasonably fluent style of writing.