Bradshaw’s Railway Map 1839

Overview

A facsimile printing of this rare Bradshaw railway map from 1839. This classic nineteenth century map of Great Britain shows the settlements, roads, and the railways of the time.

The map, originally a folded map printed on cloth, has been cleaned and joined together to form an attractive flat wall map, measuring 34" x 55" (875 x 1400 mm).

Key railways shown include:
• The Kent, Surrey and Sussex sections which illustrate the very early stages of the development of the dense rail network across what was to become archetypal commuter territory.
• 'Brunel's broad gauge Great Western Railway which linked London with the port of Bristol – the first stepping stone in Brunel's dream of a transatlantic route to North America.
• Two principal lines south of the Thames – from London to Brighton, and from Redhill to Folkestone.
• Edinburgh to Berwick line – the only link to Scotland shown, although it was not opened until 1846 by the North British Railway.
• Many of the other proposed railways are shown, such as the line from Cambridge to Lincoln.

An enlarged plan of London shows extra details for the seven railway lines coming into the capital city.

The map is edged by 34 attractive ‘sections’ or gradient profiles of the principal railways.