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 Even
though the first steam railway service wasn’t opened until
1825, the principals of early railway date back to the 17th
century when wagon ways were used to transport coal to the
ports of Tyneside. Early records indicate that wagon ways
were in use in 1704 at Whitley Bay. In 1789 a ‘feeder
railway’ to the Loughborough Canal used a flanged wheel
system which is still in use today.
Pictured right is a drawing of what an early wagon would
have looked like.
 In
1803, engineer Richard Trevithick built the world’s first
steam locomotive (left). The engine was built at
Coalbrookdale in Shropshire, however there is no evidence to
say this engine ever ran. In 1804, Trevithick built a
locomotive for the Penydarren Ironworks in South Wales,
which did pull 10 tonnes of iron and 70 men. A replica of
Coalbrookdale can be seen at the Science Museum in London.
Click here for the Science Museum Website
Between 1800 and 1820 many hundreds of miles of wagon ways
were in use, especially in the North East of England,
although none of these lines were being used to transport
passengers. In 1801, parliament passed an act, which enabled
the Surrey Iron Railway Company to partially construct a
line between London and Portsmouth. This scheme gave
birth to the first ever railway company.
Other railway landmarks between 1750 and 1825:
1758 - The Middleton Railway in Leeds was authorized on 9th
June by Britain's first Railway Act.
1803 - Richard Trevithick builds the worlds first
steam locomotive.
1807 - Oystermouth Railway in South Wales became the first
railway in the world, using horsepower, to carry fare paying passengers.
1808 - Kilmarnock & Troon Railway inc. was the first 'proper'
railway company in Scotland.
1814 - George Stephenson built his first steam locomotive.
1823 - Work begins on The Stockton to Darlington Railway
in the North East of England. -
1825 - The Stockton to Darlington Railway open on
September 27th
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