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The Workmans Train
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The Workmans Train
The Workmans Train. Interior of a third class carriage running workers from the suburbs of London into the city centre. The illustration related to a feature in the same issue of The Illustrated London News which spoke about a reduction in tax on rail fares and more commodious trains early in the morning and the evening to ensure workers, who could not afford to live in the centre, where many working class and slum dwellings were being demolished. Date: 1883
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Media ID 14265788
© Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans
Classes Commute Commuters Commuting Metropolitan Network Railways Sep17 Trains Workman Workmen
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EDITORS COMMENTS
The Workman's Train: A Daily Journey into the Heart of Victorian London, 1883 This evocative illustration from The Illustrated London News depicts an interior view of a third-class carriage on the Workman's Train, a commuter rail service that transported workers from the suburbs of London into the city centre during the early hours of the morning and late evenings. The reduction in rail fares and the introduction of more commodious trains during these peak hours were significant developments in the late 19th century, aimed at making rail travel more accessible to the working classes, many of whom resided in overcrowded, unsanitary slums that were being systematically demolished to make way for modern urban development. The scene within the carriage is a snapshot of everyday life for the working classes during this period. Men and women, dressed in their best work attire, sit shoulder to shoulder, their faces a mix of weary resignation and quiet determination. The women, some with children in tow, cling to their handbags and parcels, while the men lean against the windows, gazing out at the passing landscape. The cramped conditions and the mingling of bodies and belongings underscore the shared experience of commuting, a daily ritual that bound together the diverse population of London's working classes. The Workman's Train was a vital component of London's expanding transport network, which included the Metropolitan Railway, the world's first underground railway, and the various surface railways that crisscrossed the city. Together, these railways facilitated the movement of people and goods, fueling the economic growth and urban expansion that characterized Victorian London. This illustration serves as a poignant reminder of the vital role that public transportation played in the lives of the working classes, enabling them to access employment opportunities and maintain their connections to their communities, despite the challenges of urban living.
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