Britain still makes for the world

The prevailing narrative of the British economy is one of service-sector dominance, a landscape of finance and consultancy where the soot-stained factories of the 20th century have been consigned to history. The United Kingdom has progressively dismantled its heavy industrial base since the late 1970s, leaving this island dependent on global supply chains for the tangible assets of modern life. However, when the British look more closely at the rails beneath their feet, a different story emerges, says RailFreight.com UK Editor Simon Walton.