Can anyone recommend a book on railway housing? I've looked up on Google scholar, Google books, Amazon, Copac with no joy so far - plenty of books on 'railway towns' and individual companies, and theses on particular areas, but I would really like an overview history of housing built by railway companies in the UK, if such a thing exists.
As someone who works in housing sector and also with a keen interest in railways, this would be a very interesting book, but I must say I've never seen such a thing, sadly.
I suspect that as in early industrial era most railways would have needed to provide some sort of housing option, esp where they were essentially creating new towns (Crewe / Swindon etc), or in rural areas where they needed to bring in skilled people. Although I guess where jobs could be filled by local residents housing provision would not tend to be required.
I grew up in LBSC area.
They had a house style of 'railway accom' which can often be seen near LBSCR stations today - can't find a pic (which is unusual for a railway related topic) but a good example is '1-4 Railway Cottages. Sheffield Park' near the Bluebell railway on the A275 I think, as you go south from the Bluebell station approach - Google Streetview will give you a good view. Generally white painted render style, slate roofed, north side of the road by end of Bluebell railway car park. But these look quite spacious, quality homes so I suspect they were for higher paid grades amongst station staff. There are certainly some adjacent Berwick Station level crossing, and you see them at other LBSCR locations.
A book giving an overview would be good - but I expect it's a big topic given my hunch that most pre grouping railway compnaies would have built at least some.