Abstract
Abstract: This developmental paper explores the history of a rarely considered subject that become much more topical over the last year – how energy is distributed in the UK. Apart from the general paucity of material on the development of energy distribution in Business History, this paper also seeks to bring novelty in two new ways; Firstly, while sometimes rather dated histories of individual modes of distribution do exist, combining the histories of several together appears to rare to the point of non-existence. Yet while all energy modes are interconnected and affect one another, the existing histories appeared siloed. Secondly, this paper also attempts to re-construe railways as an energy distribution network rather than as a passenger or freight movement system. The symbiotic relationship of very early railways to coal is explicitly admitted to, but this relationship is progressively ignored from the early 20th century onwards. This paper argues that the construction of the national grid destroyed domestic coal consumption and localised power generation, and in doing so also destroyed the rationale for much of the rail network – particularly in rural areas.Abstract: This developmental paper explores the history of a rarely considered subject that become much more topical over the last year – how energy is distributed in the UK. Apart from the general paucity of material on the development of energy distribution in Business History, this paper also seeks to bring novelty in two new ways; Firstly, while sometimes rather dated histories of individual modes of distribution do exist, combining the histories of several together appears to rare to the point of non-existence. Yet while all energy modes are interconnected and affect one another, the existing histories appeared siloed. Secondly, this paper also attempts to re-construe railways as an energy distribution network rather than as a passenger or freight movement system. The symbiotic relationship of very early railways to coal is explicitly admitted to, but this relationship is progressively ignored from the early 20th century onwards. This paper argues that the construction of the national grid destroyed domestic coal consumption and localised power generation, and in doing so also destroyed the rationale for much of the rail network – particularly in rural areas.