How Dangerous Were Early Steam Trains In Britain?

As per the British railway history, the first steam engine was invented in 1804. The introduction of the steam locomotive has expanded the growth of railways in Britain. Between 1840 to 1850 huge railway lines were developed throughout Britain. Steam trains were most popular at that time. Steam trains were always a special part of British railways. But initially, the steam trains were perceived as dangerous. People worry about travelling on steam engines due to the lots of safety issues.

Let's learn about the history of British trains and know about why steam trains bring fear into people's minds.

1930s British Steam Trains - History of British Trains

The 1930s era was most important for the British railways. British railways faced competition from roads and automobiles. The four major giant railway companies of that time were Great Western Railways (GWR), Southern Railways (SL), Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS), and the London and North Eastern Railways (LNER) developed massive steam locomotive construction programmes. They developed new routes to connect all the rural and urban areas. The Southern Railway has also implemented electrification and brought modernisation to the British trains. The 1930s British steam trains also streamlined designs to reduce wind resistance. It brings a modern appeal to steam trains. Steam engines were used in British railways till 1968. After that electric trains got popular with their appealing designs and fast speed. 

Reason Behind the Fear of Steam Engines

Before the modernisation of steam trains. Travelling on trains was a little bit risky for people. There were many incidents, where boilers burst and major train accidents happened. Let’s know in brief why steam trains were perceived as dangerous journeys.

Speed of Trains: According to British railway history, The speed of the steam trains was around 100 miles per hour, people were not used to this high speed. Even the tracks were uneven which creates chances of accidents.

Railway Accidents: In the initial era, there were major train accidents that occurred due to multiple reasons. The boiler explosion was the biggest reason for the maximum number of train accident cases.

Inadequate Safety Measures: Steam locomotives were powerful but did not have enough safety measures to control any mishap. The braking system was not powerful at that time. So initial steam locomotives were not safe to travel.

Danger of fire: The early steam trains have only relied on coal fire boilers. These boilers emit lots of dust and smoke that brings serious hazards to firemen and engineers. As well as distributed to passengers. This creates a fear among the people about the steam trains.

Lack of regulation: Initially there was no proper centralised regulation for the railways. Train companies were not bound by any rules and regulations. The safety regulations were minimal at that time. It poses a risk factor among people to use railways.

Wrap It UP 

As per the history of British trains, the initial steam trains were not safe enough for travelling and luggage. The steam locomotive was a big innovation in railway transportation. But due to safety issues, people avoid travelling by train. Anyhow in the 1930s British Steam Trains brought modernisation to the railways and brought a better experience of travel. Steam engines were replaced with electric trains. In 1948 Big Four companies were centralised under the control of the British Transport Commission.

For those interested in exploring the history of British railways further, I'd recommend checking out the "Hand Drawn History" YouTube channel and their playlist on the topic.