Dreams in Blue : Railways and Social Change on the Clyde

This is an illustrated social history of post-war Glasgow, Scottish railway history and urban transformation along the River Clyde. Focused on the arrival of the Blue Trains in 1960, the book explores how railway modernisation and electrification reflected wider shifts in Scottish society during the post-war era. Blending transport history with social commentary, this study traces the decline of steam railways and the rise of a modern, connected rail network serving Glasgow and surrounding Clyde communities. It situates these changes within the context of post-war reconstruction, the expansion of the welfare state, large-scale housing redevelopment, and evolving patterns of work, travel and urban life in Scotland. Drawing on historical documents, maps, photographs and railway promotional material, It provides both technical insight and a vivid portrait of everyday life during a period of rapid industrial change and reveals how they became a symbol of progress, modernity, and optimism for post-war Britain.