This book presents a thorough survey of electric railway development from the earliest days of the London Underground to modern electrified mainline trains.

Michael Ciaran Duffy gained his degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Edinburgh and went on to carry out postgraduate research into strategic technology, American innovation and the electric railway at Victoria University, Manchester. From 1969 to 2001 he lectured in mechanical engineering, history of technology and the role of the engineer in society at the School of Computing and Technology, University of Sunderland. He has published numerous papers on railway engineering, engineering history and philosophy of engineering.

• Chapter 1: Telegraphs, track circuits and signals before 1890


• Chapter 2: Electric railways and American practice


• Chapter 3: The electrification of street railways


• Chapter 4: Heilmann, Ward Leonard and the electric railway


• Chapter 5: Electrification of British rapid-transit lines


• Chapter 6: Electrification 1900-20


• Chapter 7: Track circuits, describers and electrical signalling 1890-1920


• Chapter 8: Evolution of the electric railway 1920-40


• Chapter 9: Railway electrification and the thermal-electric locomotive


• Chapter 10: Converters, the mercury-arc rectifier and supply to electric railways


• Chapter 11: Signalling, communications and control 1920-40


• Chapter 12: Railway electrification 1920-40


• Chapter 13: Electro-Motive, General Motors and oil-electric traction


• Chapter 14: The mercury-arc rectifier locomotive


• Chapter 15: Railway electrification in Britain 1920-60


• Chapter 16: Signalling, communications and control 1940-70


• Chapter 17: Main line direct current traction in Britain


• Chapter 18: Main line alternating current traction in Britain


• Chapter 19: Solid-state electronics, motor control and the locomotive


• Chapter 20: Solid-state electronics in signalling, communications and control


• Chapter 21: The electric railway 1965-95