ABSTRACT

The theme of this chapter concerns the built environment of the railways – designed and constructed by engineers and architects whose works often remain in operational use some 170 years after completion. To ensure an understanding of terms, by dictionary definition architecture is ‘the art or science of building, one of the fine arts’, whereas an engineer is ‘one who designs and constructs public works, such as roads, railways, bridges etc …’ and also one who does public works ‘requiring little skill’. Brunei and Stephenson were engineers whose skills made significant contributions, along with eminent architects and contractors of the day, to the enormously rich and diverse built heritage in the United Kingdom vested in the railways.