Railway Women: Exploitation, Betrayal & Triumph in the Workplace

With a compelling combination of humour and indignation, Helena Wojtczak reveals the untold story of the British railway woman, charting her progress from exploited drudge in the 1830’s to steam engine driver by the 21st century, using an engrossing collage of historic and contemporary documents, photographs, official reports and vivid personal testimonies. Within the first two chapters we enter a world of sabotage, gruesome fatalities, pig-stealing, transvestism, murder, train crashes, a shipwreck, bombs, capture by the enemy, strikes, anti-woman agitation, heroic acts and tragic deaths.

As we trace the steps of women staking their place in one of Britain’s largest and most well-known industries, we learn of abysmal exploitation and shameful betrayal. Ultimately the story develops – via the crashing of male bastions, accompanied by appalling harassment – into one of triumph.

Published by the Hastings Press 2005, 375pp, h/c, dj, b/w photos.

Ex library issue in good, clean condition. R3AM