Timeline Date Period

Double tracked and horse operated, arguably the world's first public railway.

Richard Trevithick's Penydarren - used to transport iron across nine miles of track - becomes the first successful steam locomotive run on rails along the tramway of the Penydarren Ironworks in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales.

John Blenkinsop patents the rack and pinion drive, to propel a steam locomotive for use at Middleton

Steam locomotive ‘Salamanca’, built by Matthew Murray of “Fenton, Murray and Wood” of Holbeck, Leeds, pulled the first train of coal from Middleton Colliery to Leeds. The train ran on cast iron rails and stone sleepers, with a rack on one rail. Three further locomotives were built like “Salamanca”.

English engineer George Stephenson introduces his first steam locomotive, a travelling engine designed for hauling coal on the Killingworth wagonway named Blüche'r

Birth of Daniel Gooch at Bedlington, Northumberland

George Ackworth appointed to the position of locomotive superintendent of the Stockton and Darlington Railway, a post he was to occupy until May 1840.

The Stockton Darlington Railway opened. It was the first passenger rail service, the steam locomotive travelled at 10mph.

Stockton & Darlington Railway opens

The directors of the Liverpool and Manchester company held a competition called the "Rainhill Trials" to find the most suitable locomotive. The winner was Robert Stephenson's Rocket which was awarded the prize of £500

1st American built locomotive, "Tom Thumb" races a horse-drawn car from Stockton and Stokes stagecoach company from Baltimore to Ellicott Mills. Let history record that due to mechanical problems the horse won!

The Liverpool and Manchester Railway opened.During the ceremony, William Huskisson MP, became the first person to be killed by a passenger train.

Daniel Gooch, father of Swindon works takes up his position of Locomotive Superintendent of the Great Western Railway.

The first line to be built on the peninsula was the Naples–Portici line, in the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, which was 7.64km long and was inaugurated on 3 October 1839.

1840 Regulation of Railways Act. This act introduced government regulation to the railways Measures contained in the Act were:

• No railway to be opened without notice
• Returns to be made by railway companies
• Appointment of Board of Trade inspectors
• Railway byelaws to be approved by the Board
• Prohibition of drunkenness by railway employees
• Prohibition of trespass on railways

Thames Tunnel- the world's first tunnel built underneath a river was opened. It was built by an engineer called Sir Marc Brunel and his son Isambard to allow cargo to be transported underneath the busy river Thames. They ran out of money though, so to begin with it just opened as an attraction for pedestrians. On the first day, 50,000 people walked through the tunnel. By the end of the first three months, a million people – that was half of the population of London at the time – passed through, making it the most successful visitor attraction in the world.