A new type of train

The railways really started to take off in the 1800s. It started with the invention of the steam locomotive [low-co-MOW-tive] in 1803. It was invented by a man named Richard Trevithick and was used only for goods, not passengers.

The first public railway using steam engines from the beginning was the Stockton and Darlington railway, built in 1825. Thousands of people came to see the 'steam horse' on its first journey, but when it let off some steam, people ran away because they were afraid! They had never seen anything like it before in their lives. The 'steam horse' was called Locomotion Number 1 and can be seen today at the museum at North Road station in Darlington.

Stephenson's Rocket

The first intercity railway (that is one which goes from one city to another) began being built in 1829 and went from Liverpool to Manchester. The company which was building the railway wanted a better train than the locomotives which were being used. They wanted something faster and which used less coal. So they came up with a competition to build a better locomotive, where the prize was £500. George Stephenson and his son Robert decided to enter.

They made three major changes to the steam engine. First, they heated the water better by using more pipes. Then, they made the fire burn better. Thirdly, they improved the rods which connected the wheels to the engine, which meant the locomotive was less likely to break. They called it the Stephenson's Rocket. The original Rocket can still be seen today at the Science Museum in London. A working copy of the Rocket is at the National Railway Museum in York.

As well as winning the competition, George and Robert Stephenson changed the way steam engines were built. New engines were now built to their designs, and the railways continued to grow.

Railway mania

In 1833, steam trains started being used by passengers, as well as for goods. A lot of money was put into the railways, and 'railway mania' was born.

Thousands of workers, who were known as 'navvies', made tunnels, bridges, viaducts, cuttings and embankments. They earnt a good wage. By 1873, there were 275,000 people working for railway companies, some as young as fourteen.

Railways changing everyday life

The railways were popular because they were an easy way to get goods from one place to another. They carried everything from coal to circuses! People started to travel more - to football matches, to horse races, and, of course, to the seaside.

Toy trains and train sets became popular with children, and people became healthier because trains meant that food could be brought to them quicker, which meant it was fresher.

The right time

The railways also led to what we call 'standardised time' which means that everyone in the country can set their watch and clock to the right time. Before railways were built all over the country, it didn't matter if the time in one place was a bit different from another place, because there were no telephones, radio or television. But the trains all had to run to a timetable, and this meant everyone had to know what the right time was.