The Midland railway was in a commanding position having its Derby headquarters at the junctions of the two main routes from London to Scotland, by its connections to the London and Birmingham Railway in the south, and from York en-route northwards. Surrounding the ‘black country’, the Midland Railway was vital to the industrial economy surrounding the countless quarries, collieries, mines and factory’s operating within the Midlands. It was by no means the most luxurious system in the country, but it was one of the most vital. Following the national efforts of the First World War, the Midland Railway company was achieving a total annual revenue equivalent to almost £1.5 Billion in todays money.