This superb large-scale map illustrates the future route of the London to Birmingham Railway. The Railway was incorporated on 6 May 1833 with a proposed route of 112.5 miles. The first section was not opened however until 20 July 1837 when the section to Boxmoor was unveiled. The map is drawn to the scale of 2 miles to the inch. A gradient profile along the bottom. There are two insets, the first depicting the London depots at Chalk Farm and Euston Grove. This is drawn at 6 inches to the mile. A second inset covers the Birmingham depot. It also illustrates the Great Western Railway from London to Maidenhead which is coloured in red once the line splits from the London to Birmingham line. The Great Western Railway was incorporated on 31 August 1835, just days before this publication. The first section from Paddington to Maidenhead was not opened until 4 June 1838. Likewise, the London and Southampton Railway was incorporated on 25 July 1834. The first section to Woking was opened on 19 May 1838. A fascinating document illustrating to the public where these planned railways would go, a precursor of the HS2 routes today. One can imagine the objections at the time. Robert Stephenson (1803-59) was the chief engineer on the London to Birmingham line. Charles Frederick Cheffin (1807-61) was a surveyor and publisher in London. Provenance: Lesley Aitchinson 2004; private collection of Rodney Shirley. James (1983) A Chronology of the construction of Britain’s Railways 1778-1855′.