This book investigates the profound impact of railways on the development of London during its transformative century from 1850 to 1950. Keith Scholey, drawing on extensive historical records and urban planning archives, details how the expansion of the railway network reshaped the city's geography, economy, and social fabric. The work presents a comprehensive argument for the railway's central role in London's modernization and its emergence as a global metropolis.

This work is recognized as a detailed historical account of London's railway expansion. It is valued for its thorough research into the physical and social transformations driven by the railway network. The book is considered a significant contribution to the understanding of urban history and the development of modern metropolitan transport systems.