The History of the Railway in Britain
Below is a brief timeline showing the development of the steam railway in Britain.
1712 |
Thomas Newcomen develops an inefficient industrial stationary steam engine, which condenses steam under a vacuum. |
1758 |
1st 'railway' is built - The Middleton Colliery Railway in Leeds, to carry coal to the River Aire, using horses. |
1765 |
James Watt improves upon the steam engine with the invention of the 'Separate Condenser'. |
1776 |
Cast iron L-shaped plates are laid by John Curr at a colliery near Sheffield. |
1789 |
Cast iron edge rails are laid by William Jessop on the Loughborough and Nanpanton Railway. |
1801 |
Opening of the horse-powered Surrey Iron Railway (Croydon to Wandsworth) - the 1st public freight railway. |
1804 |
5th Feb: 'Trevithick' locomotive runs on Penydarren Tramway in S. Wales. Hauls 10 tons for 9 miles at 5 mph. |
1807 |
Opening of Oystermouth Railway, Swansea, a horse-powered railway believed to be the first to carry passengers. |
1812 |
1st commercial use of locomotives on Middleton Colliery Railway, Leeds, using Murray & Blenkinsop engines. |
1813 |
Blackett & Hedley build 'Puffing Billy' for use on Wylam Colliery Railway. |
1814 |
'Blucher', 1st locomotive built by George Stephenson and weighing 6 tons, runs on Killingworth Colliery Railway. |
1821 |
Bill is passed for construction of famous Stockton & Darlington Railway with George Stephenson as engineer. |
1824 |
George Stephenson is appointed as engineer to develop the Liverpool & Manchester Railway. |
1825 |
Stockton & Darlington, the world's 1st public railway, is opened. Stephenson's 4' 8" gauge is now standard. |
1829 |
Rainhill Trials to find steam locomotive for Liverpool & Manchester Railway is won by Stephenson's 'Rocket'. |
1830 |
15th Sept: The Liverpool & Manchester railway, world's 1st 'inter-city' route is opened by the Duke of Wellington. |
1836 |
20th April: Ffestiniog opens as the world's 1st narrow gauge railway using 1' 11 1/2 " gauge. |
1838 |
Great Western Railways, engineered by I K Brunel opened from Paddington to Maidenhead on a broad gauge (7'). |
1842 |
Edinburgh to Glasgow railway opened on 26th Feb, rail route from London to Edinburgh completed. |
1844 |
1st large scale amalgamation of several railways to form single company. George Hudson of York is Chairman. |
1846 |
'Railway Mania': 272 Acts of Parliament for new railways, few of which passed the initial planning stage. |
| 1853 |
The 1st train passes through Herefordshire with the opening of the Shrewsbury to Hereford via Leominster line. |
1863 |
Opening of the Metropolitan Railway, world's 1st underground line & the UK's highest main line. (1484ft above sea) |
1876 |
Special Scotch Express journey time reduced to 9 hours by the 'Flying Dutchman'. (Kings Cross to Edinburgh) |
1879 |
1st restaurant service on British railway on trains between London and Leeds. |
1890 |
Opening of the 1st electric underground railway, the City and South London line. Forth Bridge, Scotland opened. |
1892 |
The 4' 8 1/2 " standard gauge, 1st recommended by Royal Commission in 1846, wipes out the GWR 'Broad Gauge'. |
1899 |
Last main line into London, the Great Central Railway from Sheffield & manchester to Marylebone is opened. |
1904 |
The Plymouth - London mail train becomes the 1st steam train locomotive to attain speed in excess of 100 mph. |
1911 |
1st National Rail strike succeeds in gaining increased wages and additional power for the Railway Trade Unions. |
1914 |
Railways come under Government control as WWI breaks out. Many women take over their running. |
1923 |
'Big 4' created - Great Western, Southern, London & North Eastern and London, Midland & Scottish. |
1935 |
'Silver Jubilee' - Britain's 1st streamlined train sustains 100mph for over 40 miles on a Kings Cross - Newcastle train. |
1938 |
All time record for steam traction achieved at 126 mph for a Peterborough to Grantham train. |
1939 |
WWII and the railways come under government control again - railways become a prime target for bombing. |
1945 |
Labour Government reintroduces 'Big 4' and pledges Nationalisation but funds are low. |
1947 |
Royal assent is given to Transport Act, this provides for national ownership of the railways and canals. |
1948 |
Nationalisation : 'Big 4' becomes 6 regions: Southern, Western, London Midland, Eastern, N. Eastern and Scottish. |
1955 |
British transport Chairman announces £1.2m plan for replacement of steam with diesel/electric traction. |
1960 |
Last British Railways steam locomotive completed at Swindon: No. 92220, 'Evening Star'. |
1961 |
Dr Beeching appointed chairman of British Transport Commission. |
1963 |
Beeching proposes cuts to railway system, many smaller village stations
and lines are closed. |