Blood, Iron and Gold

The birth of the railways and their rapid spread across the world triggered economic growth and social change on an unprecedented scale.



From Panama to the Punjab, Tasmania to Turin, Blood, Iron and Gold describes the vision and determination of the pioneers who developed railways that would link cities that had hitherto been isolated, and would one day span continents. Christian Wolmar reveals how the rise of the train stimulated daring feats of engineering, architectural innovation and the rapid movement of people and goods around the world. He shows how cultures were enriched - and destroyed - by the unrelenting construction and how the railways played a vital role in civil conflict, as well as in two world wars. Blood, Iron and Gold tells the dramatic story of how the railways changed the world.



Christian Wolmar is Britain's foremost writer and broadcaster on transport matters. He writes regularly for a variety of publications including the Independent, Evening Standardis and Rail magazine, and appears frequently on TV and radio as a commentator. His other books include The Great Railway Revolution, The Subterranean Railway, Fire and Steam and Engines of War.



Christian Wolmar's superb new history of the world's railways is timely... In one brilliantly written volume Wolmar relates the story of the first global rail revolution.



The joy of Wolmar's book is in the boyish, trainspotterish glee with which he charts the advance of the rail networks... It covers an astonishing amount of territory; and it does so with that winning combination of conviction and brio.



A delight... You don't need to be an anorak to enjoy Wolmar's fact finding abilities... Wolmar's enthusiasm is infectious... A rattling good yarn.