Develpoment and improvement on transport in Victorian times?

Answer 1

The Victorians didn't have the internal combustion (petrol) engine, which only began to be taken seriously at the very end of the nineteenth century. Railways began to operate early in Victoria's reign (the Liverpool and Manchester Railway - in many ways the first modern railway line - first ran in 1830).

Railways began as a luxury service, effectively restricted to wealthy customers; but by the 1860's political and government pressure was starting to make railway travel available to ordinary people.

So at the beginning of the Victorian era, transport barely existed except for the wealthy. The stagecoach was expensive, uncomfortable, and slow (eight miles per hour was a good speed for a stagecoach). Only the very wealthy could afford a private carriage, or a horse.

Until around the 1860's ordinary people might never travel more than a few miles from the town where they grew up. This is how we get a fictional character such as Hetty Sorrel (in Adam Bede) attempting to walk from Hayslope (somewhere near Coventry) to London. Hetty has hardly ever traveled, she simply has no idea of the distances involved.

So up until the 1860's or so, transport barely exists for ordinary people. The wealthy have access to the railways from around 1830's, so business travel becomes swift and efficient - but before the 1830's travel of all sorts is problematic.

Between the 1860's and the 1890's, rail travel becomes more affordable, and timetables become reliable. Even the lower middle classes (shopkeepers and tradesmen) begin to visit neighbouring towns, and even take holidays.

By the 1890's bicycles with pneumatic tyres are on sale; so even the young can travel (if they are moderately well-off).

Motor cars and motor buses will not become commonplace until the 1930's, so travel is still a major commitment throughout the Victorian era.

But since at the start of Victoria's reign (1837) travel was almost unknown for most people, while by the time she died (1901) even lower middle class families were able to afford holidays at the seaside - you could say that travel changed more during Victoria's reign than at any period before in human history.

Answer 2

Transport developed very rapidly in the Victorian era. 1 of the strangest inventions in the Victorian times was the steam bicycle.

Answer 3

Steam train, buggy, horse, trolly, feet, ship, boat.