This book discusses the controversial debate over the railway gauges in the mid-19th century, particularly between the Great Western Railway and its competitors. It explores the political and economic motivations behind the debate and how it eventually led to the standardization of the railway gauge in the UK. This book is a must-read for railway enthusiasts and those interested in the development of transportation infrastructure. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.