History of the Big Four - Southern Railway

Hello, and welcome to Part 2 of my 4 part series looking at the Four Great Railways of Britain that existed between 1923 and 1948, the LMS, the LNER, the Great Western and the Southern, companies that were formed, and dissolved, through acts of Parliament to try and rationalise the 120 individual railway firms into something more manageable, but even though these operators only lasted a mere 25 years, during that time they left an indelible mark on the face of not only British railway history, but the art-deco culture of the period that continues to resonate globally even to this day.

Part 4 focuses on the smallest of the bunch, the Southern Railway, which despite its size proved to be by far the most innovative and profitable of its contemporaries, utilising electric traction and highly innovative steam locomotive designs to provide high intensity commuter services across London and the south coast, as well as lavish long-distance express trains to the coast resorts of Hampshire, Dorset, Devon and Cornwall, the Southern's dependence on a more stable passenger market meaning, unlike the LNER, LMS and Great Western, this system could retain a near constant profit throughout its existence, even through the dark days of World War II.

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References:
Railway Wonders of the World (and their respective sources)
Kent Rail (and their respective sources)
Wikipedia (and its respective references)