Cathedrals of Steam How London’s Great Stations Were Built – And How They Transformed the City

London hosts a dozen major railway stations, more than any comparable city. King's Cross, St Pancras, Euston, Marylebone, Paddington, Victoria, Charing Cross, Cannon Street, Waterloo, London Bridge, Liverpool Street and Fenchurch Street—these great termini are the hub of London's transport system and their complex history, of growth, decline and epic renewal has determined much of the city's character today. Christian Wolmar tells the dramatic and compelling story of how these great cathedrals of steam were built by competing private railway companies between 1836 and 1900, reveals their immediate impact on the capital and explores the evolution of the stations and the city up to the present day.

Christian Wolmar writes regularly for a wide variety of publications, including the Independent, Evening Standard, and Rail magazine, and appears frequently on TV and radio as a commentator on transport issues. His previous books include Fire and Steam; Blood, Iron and Gold; Engines of War; The Great Railway Revolution; and To the Edge of the World.