Descriptions

Gray was a visionary whose ideas failed to achieve fruition in his own lifetime. In 1820 he published Observations on a general iron railway. In this work he argued that horse drawn transport would eventually be superseded by steam traction. Later he also added detailed plans for a national rail network connecting the principal towns of England and Ireland.

Inscription

RA Clack ... Exeter 63 Magdalen Street
Fine Art Gallery Cathedral Yard
a general iron Rraiway (sic) for Great Britain and Ireland in 1821 painted by Rd Augustus Clack 1848 at Exeter

This object is on display at RAMM in the Making History gallery.