Railway time was introduced in England in 1840 by the Great Western Railway to standardize local times across the expanding railway network and reduce accidents. It was gradually adopted by all railway companies over the next few years. The schedules and clocks were brought in line with London Time, based on Greenwich Mean Time. Railway time was also adopted in North America, India, and Europe, with each region facing its own resistance and challenges. The use of the electric telegraph greatly facilitated the implementation of railway time. Standard time was eventually established in Great Britain in 1880. In the United States, collisions between trains with different times prompted the adoption of standard railway time in 1883. France, Germany, Italy, and other countries also embraced railway time. Some cities and towns resisted the change and only adopted railway time under pressure. Notably, Ireland and France did not officially adopt Greenwich Time.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railway_time