Genre:

Serial, Essay, Drollery

Relevant illustrations:

wdct. [4]

Illustrators:

C H B *

Subjects:

Railways, Publishing, Reading

People mentioned:

George Bradshaw

    Continuing its satirical analysis of Bradshaw's Monthly Railway Guide, Punch pokes fun at the key to the guide, offering an alternative explanation of some of the terms and phrases used in the text. For example, interprets the 'Dark Lines' as 'Those in embryo; those about whose arrangements there is some confusion; projected lines, and lines, like the Metropolitan Underground, or the Great Northern over ground, which, for several miles, journey through tunnels'. The illustrations deploy puns on terms used in the guide. (55) The 'key' to the work is represented as a musical scale with carriages and their passengers appearing as the semi-quavers. 'Wave Lines' are portrayed as two trains, curled up like snakes, in a head on collision. 'Branch Lines' are represented as branches of a tree emerging from the back of a steam locomotive.