Contents: 1. British railways in the 1850s -- 2. Victoria's private railway years --3. The Darbyshire years (1856-1860) -- 4. The Higinbotham years (1860-1878) -- 5. The North-Eastern Railway Act (Act No. 368: 1872-75) -- 6. The Light Lines Act (Acts Nos. 415: 1874-75, 475: 1875-77) -- 7. The 'Woods/Ford Regime' (1878-1882) -- 8. The boom years (1882-1892) -- 9. After the boom (1892-1900) -- Appendix A: contract details of station buildings -- Appendix B: definitions.

Includes bibliographical references and index.