Wessex, being the largest but also most underdeveloped region of the Principality, had almost all of its economy based on farming. A few landlords owned most of the land -even after the National Rebellion-, and had never envisioned a different economic activity other than growing vegetables and raising cattle. However, if they wanted to keep its position as wealthy aristocrats, they need to maximize their revenues in a now free market.
First board of the North Wessex Railway Company, in a drawing from 1851
After the implantation on Woldshire of the railway, mainly payed by the rising bourgeoisie, the old Wessex landlords grew envious of their neighbours. In a very short period of time, the Stowers proved that railways were an ideal way to move around large amounts of goods and that gave an idea to some of this aristocrats: if railways were good enough to move tools, they for sure were capable of carry around grain and cattle, and so, noblemen mainly from Mablethorpe, Deal and Leicester launched the second railway of its country: the North Wessex Railway Company.
A cutting from the 1855 railway map showing the North Wessex Railway route
A typical station of the NWR: One small warehouse and a couple of platforms to load grain
This resulted, however, in a railway built on the cheap, with tight curves and alignments that usually followed existing roads, all of this made to cut on construction costs and time. Nevertheless, it's true that this railway didn't need anything more than this, at least under its original purpose.
A double-headed NWR train whizzles along the South Road, between Deal and Mablethorpe
Despite all its flaws, the North Wessex Railway succeeded at being the first iteration of the iron horse in the old kingdom, and paved the way for other companies, with more ambitious plans, to follow as early as 1860. But this tale belongs to another chapter.
A view, from the roof of the Grand Hotel, of Mablethorpe station, headquarters of the NWR
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