A recent episode of the documentary series Rich Lives, Poor Lives, hosted by Rob Rinder and Ruth Goodman, examined the rapid expansion of railways in Victorian Britain during the 1840s, highlighting stark social inequalities and challenging figures behind the industry’s growth.

Central to the episode is George Hudson, known as the "Railway King," a prominent railway financier who was later exposed as an embezzler and fled the country with debts equating to approximately £100 million in today’s terms. Hudson’s story exemplifies how some of the wealthiest individuals involved in developing the rail network amassed fortunes through questionable means.

The programme also focuses on the working conditions of the navvies—the laborers who physically built the railways. These workers endured grueling labor, frequent accidents, and harsh treatment. According to Goodman, navvies averaged about eight pints of beer daily, but local publicans often watered down these supplies, sometimes adding hazardous substances such as hallucinogenic berries or even rat poison to mask the dilution. This paints a bleak picture of the hardships faced by those who constructed the railways, contrasting sharply with the wealth and comfort enjoyed by investors and executives.

The episode further illustrates Victorian class divisions through the experience of train travel at the time. Rinder and Goodman board a restored train from Hudson’s era to compare first- and third-class accommodations. First-class carriages featured separate compartments with plush seating and space for luggage, designed to shield wealthy passengers from lower classes. In contrast, third-class carriages were overcrowded, lacked seating, and often did not have roofs, exposing passengers to the elements. Tickets for third-class travel cost about half as much as first-class, but the trade-off was significantly reduced comfort and dignity.

Rinder acknowledges the severity of these disparities, describing the railway companies’ treatment of poorer customers as "wilfully indifferent." His experience underscores the programme’s broader message that, historically, wealthier individuals have generally led more comfortable lives but have not always done so ethically, often at the expense of the working class.

Overall, the documentary sheds light on how the railway boom was both a driver of economic development and a reflection of Victorian social hierarchies, revealing the complexities behind an iconic period of industrial progress.