How the Railways Will Fix the Future

Railway engineer and transport policy specialist Gareth Dennis shows why the railways are key to the fight for a better world for us all.

The world's railways were almost entirely created by capital and empire for extraction and exploitation, so what right do they have to exist and how can they be harnessed for good? Railway engineer and writer Gareth Dennis builds a case not simply for railways as a common good, but argues that railways are a critical tool for humanity to survive and thrive.

Whether it's the power of organised labour, the threats and opportunities of new technology, the distribution of democratic power or the calamitous impacts of climate change, railways can act as a lens through which to understand the future and the part they can play in it.

Dennis takes us across the globe, from Virgin Hyperloop's abandoned test track in the Nevada desert to the overcrowded stations of the North of England, exploring how railways can shape and inform choices about our future, and in turn detailing how taking a long-term view can help shape transport for the better. With his deep knowledge of railways and his unique view of history and politics, he equips us with the tools to answer those imperative questions: what and who should our railways be for?"19th Century railway engineers shaped our lives and landscapes. Now, a 21st Century railway engineer thinks big - and thinks ahead. GD explodes myths, explores facts and proposes some brilliant ideas. Like the two strips of steel which unite us, they might just be the route to a future so many of us seek."
– Tim Dunn, railway historian and broadcaster

"Rail has a storied past, playing a central role in the Industrial Age. This book makes a powerful case that it should be the future too. A world that is sustainable, and beautiful, will have rail at its heart. Dennis explains why."
– Aaron Bastani, co-founder of Novara Media and writer of Fully Automated Luxury Communism

"This is a welcome and timely book which really understands the huge transformative power of the railways, not only historically but crucially in the years to come and in the context of the climate crisis. Informative and insightful ‘How the railways will fix the future’ is a volume not only for the general reader but railway professionals, policy makers and politicians alike."
– Maryam Eslamdoust, General Secretary, TSSA Union

"A very good book." 
– Naomi Smith, CEO of Best for Britain
Gareth Dennis (MEng GMICE MPWI) is a Scottish railway engineer, writer and lecturer who lives in York in the north of England. He campaigns for sustainable transport as a tool for equality as well as to tackle climate change. He has appeared regularly on television, radio, podcasts and in print making the case for long-term transport decision-making, including investment in High Speed 2, and has advised UK the government on transport policy through the Transport Select Committee. He has written for the Independent, New Internationalist, Progressive Review and regularly for RAIL. He is also a proud RMT member.