for the first time under this memorable title
BRADSHAW, George. Bradshaw's Railway Companion. Containing the Times of Departure, Fares, &c of the Railways in England, and also Hackney Coach fares from the principle Railway Stations and Plans of London, Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, and Manchester. Manchester & London, Bradshaw & Blacklock, 1840.
16mo (119 x 77 mm). Original publisher's ribbed cloth with title-label printed in green on gold foil paper; pp. [58], including lithographic double-page maps with colouring in outline and city maps (Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, large fold-out profile of the London-Birmingham Railway, folding London map (glazed paper); remarkably well-preserved for such an ephemeral and small publication.
On 19 October 1839, soon after the introduction of railways, George Bradshaw's Manchester company published the world's first compilation of railway timetables entitled Bradshaw's Railway Time Tables and Assistant to Railway Travelling at a cost of sixpence. In 1840, with this edition the title was changed to Bradshaw's Railway Companion, and the price raised to one shilling. A new volume was issued at occasional intervals and from time to time a supplement kept this up to date. The original Bradshaw publications were published before the limited introduction of standardised Railway time in November 1840, and its subsequent development into standard time. The accompanying map of all lines in operation (and some 'in progress') in England and Wales, is cited as being the world's first national railway map.
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