Going Off The Rails

 

In the days before mobile phones and illustrated newspapers, the humble postcard was one of the cheapest and fastest ways of disseminating news. Photographically illustrated postcards appeared at the dawn of the 20th century and as the demand for new subject matter increased, so local entrepreneurial photographers saw a market opportinity in photographing local and national disasters, and publishing the images as postcards. In the years before the Great War, there were literally hundreds of railway disasters, and almost all of them became the subjects of postcards, culminating in Britain's worst railway disaster – at Quintinshill – in 1915. This book explores the appalling record of the early railway companies through the postcards which were used to circulate images of their darkest days. A publisher is being sought for this project.

The Men Who Invented Britain is published in softback by Whittles Publishingt, price £18.99 and available on Amazon.

 

The last few copies of The Victorian Photographs of Dr Thomas Keith and John Forbes White are available in hardback direct from the author at half price – £10 plus P&P. Use Contacts Page to order.

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All images and text © John Hannavy