Wakefield has had two Victorian railway stations, so this series of seven talks about Victorian railways may be of interest. Hosted by the Victorian Society which at present is involved in actions to save Liverpool Street Station.
“The railways are more in the news today than for decades. They are the key to securing low carbon transport for the future but strikes and lack of investment hold them back. As the Victorian Society fights to save one of London’s great cathedrals of steam, Liverpool Street Station, and the former Great Eastern Hotel in London from destruction and disfigurement, it is the perfect time to take a look at 19th Century railway architecture and society and what can be learnt for today.
When the Victorian Society was founded in 1958 the railway system inherited from the previous century was still largely intact. Though much has since been lost, the railways of the period retain their fascination, both for their buildings and for their importance in forging the Victorian world.
The autumn talk series revisits the society’s valiant campaign to save Euston station, the world’s first long-distance railway terminus. It will also explore some of the diverse and surprising ways in which the railway preservation movement has since found new homes and fresh uses for many less monumental buildings. Other talks present new discoveries on railway company architecture, and on the distinctive work of C.H. Driver. Framing the architectural subjects, two talks by leading scholars reassess the growth of the Victorian railway system and the liberating opportunities presented by the railway excursion. The series concludes with a panel discussion of Liverpool Street station, a great Victorian building currently threatened with ruinous redevelopment.”