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Comment by Richard Hopkins on December 8, 2009 at 14:15

Dick is correct. The economic reality for railway companies in the mid 1800’s was that, while the popularity of railway travel was growing for all classes in society, the proportion of third-class passengers in the total number of passengers carried had grown from approximately one third in the late 1850’s to about three quarters by the early 1870’s.
The Midland Railway in 1872 was the first company to provide carriages for third-class passengers on all its trains. In 1875 it also led the way in being the first company to abolish second-class carriages altogether and reduced fares for first-class passengers from 3d per mile to the former second-class basis of 2d per mile. The fare for third-class passengers remained fixed on the basis of 1d per mile up until World War 1.

Comment by Dick Bodily on December 6, 2009 at 20:16

Andy
Second class disappeared early on many railways as few people patronised it so when it was abolished the companies didn't want the 'plebs' to think they were getting an upgrade for nothing or get ideas 'above their station' so the ordinary compartments were still labelled third class.

No pun intended about ideas above their station, but did you hear about the station master who kept disappearing up onto his station roof so that he could think clearly.........

he got sacked for having ideas above his station.

Dick

Comment by Andy Thompson on December 6, 2009 at 15:50

What's the deal with 'Third Class'? Was there a second class and if not - why not? Andy