Before the coming of the railways Britain was made up of lots of separate, local time zones and local time was proudly treasured. The railways introduced a world of precise schedules and timetables that recognised Greenwich Mean Time.
Originally railway entrepreneurs saw trains as a means to transport raw materials, stock and goods. But soon realised there was money to be made transporting people. The railways also created an army of engineers, managers and accountants.
Britain's new railway network transformed the way people spent their leisure time. Urban workers could travel to the coast to holiday, attend sporting fixtures and visit parts of the country previously beyond their reach.
Before the age of steam you would need a horse to travel long-distances, but the railways allowed people to live further and further away from their place of work creating suburbia, New Towns and a new breed of worker - the commuter.
Railways changed what people ate in Britain and their culinary tastes. The speedy transport of fresh milk, fruit and veg, wet fish and fresh meat improved the range and quality of foods available to people - particularly in the big cities.
Although railways separated passengers into first, second and third class carriages they also acted as a great catalyst for social change. Even royalty was able to travel the country, strengthening national identity and culture.
