The railway interest was the Lords and MPs in the British parliament who held directorships or senior administrative posts in railway companies in the 19th century. They could be relied upon to vote in the interest of the railways when legislation aimed at controlling the companies' actions was proposed, and to persuade their fellow members, most of whom will have been railway shareholders, to follow suit. While the monopoly position of railways in inland transport remained unchallenged, the influence of the railway interest in resisting rates' control and safety improvements was a continuing concern both to free-trade liberals and to the aristocracy/landed-gentry with a dependence on farming. The 'interest' was particularly strong as divisions were often not whipped on party lines until t