The Stockton and Darlington Railway was the first railway using steam locomotives to be built in this world. Its opening is often regarded as the beginning of Railways..
During the eighteenth century and the early part of the nineteenth century, coal from the mines in Country Durham was taken by horse and cart to the nearest river or harbour. Proposals were put forward to improve navigation on the River Tees but nothing happened. Then Edward Pease proposed a horse drawn tram road which was supported, especially by the local Quaker businessmen. Several surveys were undertaken for the horse drawn tram road. Each time the survey was laid before parliament, the landowners objected. So it failed. The route was changed again and finally in 1821 an Act was passed by parliament allowing the Stockton and Darlington railway to be built between the collieries inland at Witton Park to the River Tees at Stockton via Darlington. Unfortunately the Act said it was to be a toll railway drawn by horses. Although steam locomotives had been invented back in 1804, this was going to be the first time a steam locomotive had operated passenger services on a railway. Edward Pease was not happy with the proposed route of the railway so he appointed George Stephenson to make a new survey of the route. George, helped by his eighteen year old son Robert, found a new route which was shorter and suggested they should use the brand new wrought iron edge rails made by John Birkinshaw for the route. George Stephenson was made chief engineer of the Stockton and Darlington Railway in 1822. His twenty five mile route for the railway was approved of by parliament the following year. Also, movable steam locomotives and carrying of passengers were allowed. The locomotive factory in Newcastle upon Tyne, which was new. opened in the same year. Robert Stephenson was made managing director. Soon there were orders for two steam locomotives for the railway. The 'Robert Stephenson and Company' was in business. The company would continue to supply steam locomotives to the word's railways up until the 1950s. The Railway was going to be built to Stephenson's gauge of four feet eight inches. An extra half inch was added to reduce friction where the line curved. This became the standard gauge for our railway today. Stationary steam engines operated the western part of the line. The twenty miles between Stockton Quay and Shildon were going to be powered by steam locomotives. On the railway there were embankments fifty foot high and a wrought iron girder bridge over the River Gaunless. Also there was a graceful arched stone bridge over the River Skearne. The Stockton and Darlington Railway opened on the 27th of September 1825. The date is just as important as when man first walked on the moon in the year 1969. On this special day thousands of people watched George Stephenson's steam locomotive Locomotion pull its first passenger steam train on a railway that was public for the first time in the world. About five hundred passengers were carried in the only 'Passenger Coach Experiment' and twenty one converted coal wagons. 'Locomotion' was built at Stephenson's works in Newcastle. She was the first to have driving wheels connected by coupling rods. The iron wrought rails were connected with fish-plates every fifteen feet. The rails were laid on stone blocks which could bear the weight of heavily loaded trains. Forty thousand people and a twenty one gun salute welcomed the first steam hauled passenger train in the world at Stockton Quay. The success of the line proved the viability of steam railways. Horse drawn coaches were still used right up until 1833 when steam hauled services was finally started. (Locomotion) retired and became a steam engine that was stationary in 1841 and preserved in 1857. In 1975 it was moved to Darlington Railway Centre and Museum. Later on, the Stockton and Darlington Railway expanded eastwards to Middlesbrough docks and carried on to transport iron ore from the hills of Cleveland. The railway was a major coal haulier. In 1860 after it had expanded west it was taken over by other railways in 1863. Two hundred miles were taken over by the North Eastern Railway. Today it is still open for business and passenger trains still run on what is now the Tees Valley line. The Stockton and Darlington Railway was a great success. This small beginning has led to the Great Railway Age and we haven't looked back.
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