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King Street - The Railway Age Begins
Shaping Victorian Leisure
After the price war ended, it is difficult to judge exactly how these new rail services affected the every day lives of most Wellingtonians. The railway did allow large-scale industries to develop in the town in a way they had not done previously and would certainly have offered some employment opportunities in operating the local network. Although many people would not have been able to afford to take the train regularly, there is no doubt that rail facilities played an increasingly important role in shaping people's leisure activities during the late Victorian era. The introduction of cheap fares and day returns helped many working families enjoy holidays and day trips for the first time, a trend that was also aided by the introduction of Bank Holidays in 1871. Many special trains ran from Wellington to events such as the Shrewsbury Flower Show, Craven Arms May Fair and the Wenlock Olympic Games. During the first week of September, trains were also put on to take people on working holidays to the Herefordshire hop fields, which was, for many, the only break from regular work they would get.