Some of the poems in this collection are critical of the speculative riches of the railway directors, fueled by extraction of resources and accumulation of capital.  This is not one of those poems.  This poem celebrates the availability of cheap rail travel, although there's what I consider an uneccesarily cruel outcome for the poor old horses running the coaches.  

Listen to "86: poems about trains - "the wonderful effects of Leicester"" on Spreaker.

I'm reading all the poems in the collection "RailwayRhymes" edited by Peter Ashley and available here   if you want to read along.  Here are all the podcast episodes from this series: ZenGlop - Poems About Trains

Today's poem The Wonderful Effects of the Leicester Railway 

A rollicking romp.  The honor of Birmingham is at stake in this poem.  But shared nobility of character will prevail, have no fear.    This episode is a two-fer:   as well as the poem itself, you get a singalong of a song referenced in one of  the stanzas ( The Warwickshire Lads, if that sounds enticing).  

Listen to "81: poems about trains- trip to brummagem" on Spreaker.

I'm reading all the poems in the collection "RailwayRhymes" edited by Peter Ashley and available here   if you want to read along.  Here are all the podcast episodes from this series: ZenGlop - Poems About Trains

Today's poem The Cockney's trip to Brummagem 

also:  The Warwickshire Lads

This poem inspired me to talk about how automation *should* lead to leisure...a hot Keynesian topic.   I'm reading all the poems in the collection "RailwayRhymes" edited by Peter Ashley and available here   if you want to read along.  Here are all the podcast episodes from this series: ZenGlop - Poems About Trains

Today's poem The Railway Whistle

Listen to "77: poems about trains- the railway whistle" on Spreaker.

I'm reading all the poems in the collection "RailwayRhymes" edited by Peter Ashley and available here   if you want to read along.  Here are all the podcast episodes from this series: ZenGlop - Poems About Trains

Today's poem A Just Disdain by William Wordsworth

Listen to "74: poems about trains - wordsworth "just disdain"" on Spreaker.

I'm reading all the poems in the collection "RailwayRhymes" edited by Peter Ashley and available here   if you want to read along.  Here are all the podcast episodes from this series: ZenGlop - Poems About Trains

Today's poem: The Speculators by William Thackeray

Listen to "72: poems about trains- Thackeray "The speculators"" on Spreaker.

I'm reading all the poems in the collection "RailwayRhymes" edited by Peter Ashley and available here   if you want to read along.  Here are all the podcast episodes from this series: ZenGlop - Poems About Trains

Wordsworth's poem 'on the projected kendal and windermere railway' 

Listen to "71: poems about trains- wordsworth 'on the projected kendal and windermere railway'" on Spreaker.

George Monbiot on Rewilding 

Monbiot video about reintroducing wolves at Yellowstone

I'm reading all the poems in the collection "RailwayRhymes" edited by Peter Ashley and available here   if you want to read along. Here are all the podcast episodes from this series: ZenGlop - Poems About Trains

Listen to "70: poems about trains - Hampton and Oxford railway" on Spreaker.

a copy of the song available here