Thomas Cook European Rail Timetable

History   [Landmark Editions]   [Name Changes / Editors]

History

The idea for Cook's Continental Time Tables was that of an employee, John Bredall, who later became Company Secretary. Bradshaw's Continental Guide had started in 1847 and already showed rail times on the Continent, but it attempted to be comprehensive and had become a very large volume of over 1000 pages. Mr Bredall's proposal was for a slimmer volume, described in the early issues as 'a Cheap, Concise and Simple Guide to All the Principal Lines of Railway, Steamers and Diligences on the Continent of Europe', and he was given the job of bringing the idea to fruition.

The principle of carefully selecting those stations and trains which are of most use to the readers has remained with us to the present day. The first edition appeared in March 1873 and, although carrying a price of one shilling, was 'merely issued for the purpose of being freely distributed to Railway Officials and others interested in such publications, for their corrections and revision, and for the purpose of soliciting Advertisements'. Regular publication commenced with the June 1873 edition and continued four times per year, becoming monthly from January 1883.
 
The Overseas Timetable commenced in January 1981, following a pilot issue the previous year which was distributed free, rather like the original March 1873 timetable.

Thomas Cook possesses a unique collection of archive material in Peterborough covering every aspect of the company's history. Researchers can view the material by appointment.