ABSTRACT
Demand and market forces were usually the major factors in determining suburban development in the 60 years up to 1914 but good train services were always of great importance and occasionally a very powerful stimulant. For the capitalist, the best profits lay in attracting the middle classes, most of whom would walk to their trains at each end. This meant that success would depend on suitable building land being available at acceptable prices near a well-served station, preferably within a halfmile, although where stations were fed by electric trams (after 1901) this distance could be greater.1 For the majority of potential occupiers, it was also important that fares should be moderate and the total journey to work should not take much longer than an hour.2 Those with more comfortable incomes tended to reckon distance in terms of time rather than miles and if rail services were fast they would be very content to live well outside the city, yes even at Brighton.
