About the railway all the most interesting. Interesting Facts, Amazing Facts, Unknown Facts at Fact Museum

In Russia, the possibility of a railway was discussed back in the twenties of the 19th century, when the emperor learned that the railway saves treasury expenses and even increases wealth, as happens in England (at that time, rails were used to transport coal).

The initial idea was to create a connection between St. Petersburg and Moscow, but the question of the effectiveness, and most importantly, the profitability of such an enterprise for investors, remained open.
As the proverb says, “If you don’t try, you won’t know.” The commission and all kinds of meetings that were convened to solve the problem did not give a clear and precise answer. As a result, the professor of the Vienna Polytechnic Institute and the builder of the first public railway in Europe, Franz Gerstner, who was invited in 1834, was offered to build a road that would “link” the suburbs of St. Petersburg - Tsarskoye Selo and Pavlovsk.

So that the zealots of progress would not be discouraged and would not think that the necessary road would never be built in St. Petersburg, they added that the Moscow-Petersburg line would appear "not before the end of the road ... and on inquiry from the experience of the benefits of such roads for the state, public and shareholders.

How to raise money for construction

Speaking of shareholders, it is worth noting that 700 people took part in the purchase of the relevant securities. To create capital, fifteen thousand shares were issued. The required amount of three million rubles was collected by subscription within six months.

Count Bobrinsky became one of the main sponsors of the railway. Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

One of the ardent supporters of the construction was the famous sugar manufacturer, Count Aleksey Alekseevich Bobrinsky, the son of Major General Alexei Bobrinsky, born in an extramarital affair between Catherine II and Grigory Orlov. The grandson of the great empress acquired shares worth 250 thousand rubles.

Road opening

On November 11, 1837, the road was officially opened. For the sake of such a solemn occasion, Nicholas I and his wife were invited.

A prayer service was served on the station tracks, Gerstner, as a driver, got into the cab of a steam locomotive, and at half past one the train, to loud exclamations of surprise and approval, moved towards Pavlovsk, where it arrived thirty-five minutes later. The maximum speed of the first steam locomotive was 64 kilometers per hour, but for the safety of passengers on the first trip, the amazing car did not show all its strength.

Steel horse locomotive

Gerstner personally was the first to travel by rail. Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

In the Vedomosti newspaper that day one could read a note: “It was Saturday, the townspeople flocked to the old regimental church of the Introduction near Semenovsky parade ground. They knew that an unusual railroad was opening and "a steel horse carrying many, many carriages at once" would set off for the first time.

However, not everyone managed to see the first train. Commoners were not allowed to the station itself, which had been built recently.

Exactly at 12:30 pm, a tiny locomotive blew a piercing whistle, and eight cars with a noble audience set off along the route Petersburg - Tsarskoye Selo.

The first days of operation of the road were trial, the passage is free, and the quality, as they say, is at the risk of the buyer.

However, there were no dissatisfied people: up to fifty people were packed into each of the cars - people of humble origin were given the opportunity to try out the new transport.

Despite the fact that the road had serious problems, the people considered the invention a kind of carousel: fast driving, a breeze blowing in the face, the smell of fields and arable land, and a slight fright at the sounds of an oncoming train.

The excitement was monstrous, and the crowds that besieged the locomotive were endless.

What did the wagons look like at the time?

The carriages on the train were divided along social lines. Thus, the composition of eight cars and a steam locomotive, which was built at the Stephenson factory in England and delivered to St. Petersburg by sea, consisted of four classes.

The most luxurious and vividly demonstrating the thickness of the gentleman’s wallet, who could afford to buy tickets for it, were the so-called “Berlins” - here the public could sit more relaxed in an easy chair, and people from the same social stratum sat opposite and to the side. There were eight such cars in total, followed by "stagecoaches" that accommodated a large number of people and "rulers" - open-type carts. Those that were with a roof were called “chaises”, those that did not have one were called “waggons”. The latter had neither heating nor lighting.

In the early years, the fare for first and second class passengers was 2.5 and 1.8 rubles and 80 and 40 kopecks for third and fourth. It is curious, but, despite the fact that the train was designed not only to cover long distances, but also to keep pace with progress, until 1838, only horse traction was used on non-Sundays and holidays. The steam method has become a kind of symbol of festivities or Sunday rest.

Imperial way

Since 1838, the movement has become regular and then finally decided on the schedule. The first train departed at nine o'clock in the morning, and the last at ten o'clock in the evening. The interval between movements was three or four hours.

Members of the Romanov family and European monarchs also used the railway. Only one train could move along the so-called "Imperial Way". In Pushkin, the train stopped at the "Imperial Pavilion" - the station where they met the royal family.

Traffic along the line Tsarskoe Selo - Pavlovsk was opened in May 1838. By the significant day, a concert hall was built there, where Johann Strauss himself performed.

Steam locomotive "Elephant" and "Bogatyr"

Steam locomotives at that time were made at seven factories: in Belgium, England, Germany and the St. Petersburg Leuchtenberg plant. Each locomotive had its own name: "Nimble", "Arrow", "Bogatyr", "Elephant", "Eagle" and "Lion". However, the romantic attitude towards the locomotive soon changed, and the jubilation at the sight of it was replaced by a habit, and instead of names, the trains acquired a dry number and a series of letters.

People often went to the Pavlovsky Musical Station just for entertainment. Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

Despite the initial fear of shareholders not to make a profit from the enterprise, in the first five years, not only all the funds spent on construction, but also what was spent on operation were repaid: the road brought substantial income and allowed us to assume that the further construction of new stations would bring a truly fabulous income.

The first steam locomotive was a revelation for Petersburgers: they wrote about it in newspapers, drew posters, candy wrappers were full of its image, and the Alexandrinsky Theater even included the vaudeville “A Trip to Tsarskoye Selo”, the main character of which was a steam locomotive.

1. Railways in Russia transport 1 billion 300 million passengers every year. On average, each of us is a train passenger 9 times a year, but this is a very small figure. In Soviet times, this figure reached 15 times a year.

2. The Trans-Siberian Railway is considered the longest in the world. Its length is almost 9,300 kilometers.

3. Station "Half" is the very middle of the Trans-Siberian. From this station the same distance, both to Moscow and to Vladivostok.

4. After the opening of the first railway in Russia (between Moscow and St. Petersburg), the first three days the journey was free. Because no one wanted to ride this "terrible thing."

5. In France, there is still a law that prohibits kissing at train stations. The reason for the ban was delays in the departure of trains. The law was issued 100 years ago and still no one has repealed it.

6. It turns out that linemen who tap the wheels of trains have an ideal ear for music. By changing the tone, they should determine the malfunction of the wheel.

7. On a train that runs in western Peru, conductors offer passengers oxygen bag. Because the train goes along the highest mountain railway in the world (at an altitude of more than 3 kilometers).

8. Once on a railroad in Ohio (USA) a train collided with a steamboat. The fact is that Lake Ohio overflowed its banks, and the railway track was under a meter layer of water. However, the driver decided to take the train along the flooded track, but collided with the steamer.

9. The head of the Bavarian railways in 1910 was forced to issue an order forbidding machinists and stokers to buy beer during stops at the stations.

10. In Argentina, you can now take a tour on the legendary Patagonia Express train, which was restored specifically for tourists. In addition to the impressions of the surrounding landscapes, passengers can become participants in the carefully planned "Train Robbery" action without their consent.

11. A few years ago, a special “train of love” began to run between Paris and Venice. In the compartment of such a train: VIP-service, there is a TV, a shower cabin and a special double shelf.

12. Once on a tour of Switzerland, a train set off, on which the cream of Swiss society rode: ministers, deputies, honorary citizens, etc. On the occasion of the celebration, the train was made up of only dining cars. But the organizers did not take into account a small nuance: there are no toilets in Swiss dining cars. Therefore, when the train approached the station, the locals who had gathered to meet him were very surprised: the guests of honor poured out of the doors of the cars like peas.

13. As you know, some trains have their own name. For example, "Red Arrow", "Russia", "Baikal", etc. Often the names of the trains are given by the passengers themselves: for example, the Rostov-Odessa train is affectionately called by the passengers "Papa - Mama"

14. The Japanese company Toshiba built a maglev train. The train is capable of speeds of 517 km/h.

15. One day a group of German engineers surveyed the Isthmus of Panama in order to build a trans-American railroad. And in the end, she decided that the rails here should be made not from iron, which is rare in these places, but ... from gold.

16. Third-class carriages on the first Russian railways followed in front of the train and were equipped with hard benches. But passengers were more likely to ride under the benches. Because these cars did not have a roof, and passengers were hiding from bad weather and sparks.

17. In Australia, a railway was laid on the desert plain, which is listed in the Guinness Book of Records. It is famous for the fact that over 500 km there is not a single turn on it.

18. Among the collection of Faberge there is an egg "Trans-Siberian Railway", which contains a clockwork model of the imperial Trans-Siberian train made of gold and platinum.

19. In the near future, two-tiered passenger cars. Such cars will be much more economical for the railway and much more comfortable for passengers. Each compartment of such a carriage has a shower, toilet and air conditioning.

20. In Monte Carlo you can see people who meet trains in anticipation of those who have arrived in the Principality for the first time. After that, passengers are offered money to play, promising a share of the winnings in return. It's all the fault of the sign that newcomers are lucky.

21. But at the Shibuya station in Japan there is a monument to a dog with a "station master's cap" on his head. The dog was awarded this honor for its feat, for 10 years it met the owner who left by train.

22. When the first section of the railway between Liverpool and Manchester was built in England, they decided to arrange a kind of competition between five steam locomotives. However, just before the start of the competition, the fifth car was suspended from participation in them "due to an outdated engine." Under the steel sheathing there were hidden ordinary horses.

23. The longest freight train in the world ran in the Soviet Union along the route Ekibastuz - Ural. The train, 6.5 kilometers long, transported 42,000 tons of coal in 440 wagons.

24. In the early 90s. such a scam was known: an African was promised emigration to Europe, they took the agreed amount, brought it to Moscow (then it was simple and cheap). And then this African was put on a train, assuring that it was a train to Germany. But in fact, it was a subway train that moved along a circular route. The poor fellow could go for a very long time.

25. Once the machinist of the Ahvaz-Tehran train deserved a severe punishment. His fault was that he did not stop the train during namaz (prayer). Because of this, the passengers were forced to pray in the compartment, moreover, at every turn of the train they had to spin in place.

26. Experts advise, for security reasons, to give preference to central carriages when buying tickets. In the event of an accident, they suffer less than the head or tail ones. And also it is better to choose seats against the movement of the train. By the way, according to statistics, trains are 45 times safer than cars.

27. The maximum speed on the rail track is fixed at around 9851 km / h! It was this speed that was developed during the experiment by a platform with a rocket engine in the state of New Mexico (USA)

1. The railway is a common thing for a modern person. Few people today have never traveled by train or long-distance train.

2. Traveling by rail is 45 times safer than traveling by road. The risk of getting into an accident in a train is much lower than in a car.

3. Today (on average) every Russian travels by rail about 9 times a year. And the total number of guests has long exceeded 1.3 billion people a year.

4. And the first trains in Russia and Europe were available to about 9% of the population of those cities between which rail links were being established.

5. The advent of the steam locomotive at the beginning of the 19th century changed the world, since it was from that moment on that people and goods could move around the world at unprecedented speeds.

6. The first passenger train in the world went on rails at a speed barely reaching the mark of 33 km/h. A little later, it was already possible to accelerate to 38 and even 42 kilometers per hour.

7. The opening of the railway communication Moscow - St. Petersburg was a real event. That's just simple people not in a hurry to use the innovation. A terrible rumbling thing caused genuine fear.

8. In order to promote rail transport to the masses, it was decided to make travel free. And this measure had an effect. Trains very soon ceased to be afraid.

9. But the stock's history was short-lived. It was possible to ride back and forth for free only in the first three days after the opening of the corresponding railway line.

MODERN HIGH-SPEED TRAIN "SAPSAN"

It is a pity that free travel from Moscow to St. Petersburg is a thing of the past.

10. In 1830, the first steam-powered American railroad, Liverpool - Manchester, opened. Decades later, hundreds of thousands of railroad miles crossed the United States.

11. Today, the descendants of these early railroads, including the CSX railroad, continue to play a key role in American life, transporting millions of freight cars every year.

QINGHAI-TIBET SINGLE-TRACK RAILWAY

12. Qinghai-Tibet single-track railway - the highest mountain road on the planet annually attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists from all over the world to admire the magical Tibetan landscapes of the "roof of the world" at an altitude of more than 5000 km above sea level.

13. No sea or air company can offer such romance. Of course, such extreme conditions require special trains.

14. The cars are fully sealed, equipped with personal oxygen masks and an oxygen supply system if necessary, and at intermediate and observation stations, passenger cars naturally do not open, because there is nothing to breathe outside them. The Chinese themselves are extremely proud of their engineering structure and put it on a par with the Great Wall of China.

15. When Englishman Richard Trevithick started his first practical steam locomotive in 1804, it was running at less than 16 kilometers per hour. Today, trains run 30 times faster on high-speed rail lines.

TRANSSIBERIAN HIGHWAY

16. Among the domestic railways, the most remarkable was and remains the Trans-Siberian Railway. She has many statuses. For example, this railway is known as the longest in the world. Today it has more than 9,400 kilometers of tracks and is a whole network of railways between Moscow and the Russian Far East. In addition, the road has branches to all neighboring border countries.

17. The construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway began in full force back in 1891, under the personal control of Sergei Witte, who, being then the Minister of Finance, clearly understood that Russia simply had to be a strategic partner between West and East.

18. In order for the construction of the road and related infrastructure to keep pace with each other, the Russian leadership began construction from the east and west at the same time, striving inland. To understand the scale of the project, suffice it to say that only in 2002 was the full electrification of the Trans-Siberian Railway completed!

19. Having reconstructed some sections of the Trans-Siberian Railway in the early 2000s, Russia organized the first permanent corridor of large-scale freight traffic between China, Mongolia, Belarus, Poland and Germany, which significantly increased the turnover of trade and contributed to the further development of the Far East as a strategic region.

20. The original name of the road is the Great Siberian Way. And it is great not because the construction of the road was carried out for almost a century, but because the Russian government then deliberately refused Western "aid", not wanting to allow the strengthening of the influence of foreign capitalists in the Far East. They built only with their own forces! And they did! Built!

21. No wonder they say that to drive along the Trans-Siberian Railway means to see half the world. Is it a joke? The famous Photographer Todd Selby, who has made a long journey from Paris to Shanghai by rail, claims that this is the real truth: “It’s fantastic to wake up every time, tear yourself away from the map and try to figure out where you are ... still in Siberia! Siberia is very big. And Baikal is very big. But this is just a part of great Russia!”.

OMSK RAILWAY STATION

22. Trans-Siberian is 9438 kilometers, more than 8 days on the road. On the route, the train stops at 97 major stations and passes through many smaller ones.

23. And there is also half the way on the Trans-Siberian. The station, located exactly in the middle of the railway between Moscow and Vladivostok, is called so. The distance from the "Half" to both cities is the same.

24.Transsib is also considered the coldest railway. Part of it passes through the climatic zone, where -62˚С is the usual temperature. Interestingly, the coldest point of the route does not coincide with the northernmost.

25. When the first Japanese Shinkansen appeared before the Tokyo Olympics in 1964, its speed exceeded 209 km per hour. Since then, the maximum speed of these trains has been steadily increasing. The current world record is 603 kilometers per hour.

RAILWAY IN THAILAND, IN MAEKLONG

26. No less amazing is the Thai railway, which passes through a real market! 60 km west of Bangkok in the town of Maeklong, the food market, located right on the railway tracks, quickly turns its food trays several times a day, twists the awnings and scatters right in front of the trains.

27. But the most amazing thing is that even at this time, trading does not stop! From the open windows of the train, a coin flies into the merchants, and fish, sweets, fruits and other purchases fly back through the windows. The main thing here is to be able to catch!

28. Although passengers have a knack for this business after rubbing their eyes from broken tomatoes and the phrase “I didn’t catch it again!” After the trains have passed, boxes with the remaining vegetables, fish and other goods are returned to the rails and trade becomes more civilized.

29. Japan is no longer alone in high-speed rail: France, China and Germany are also working on trains that can reach extreme speeds.

30. The United States is currently developing plans to build a high-speed rail line that will connect the California cities of San Francisco and Anaheim.

RAIL TRACK IN NEW ZEALAND

31. The Napier-Gisborne railway is unique in that it crosses the main runway of Gisborne Airport in New Zealand. This is the only railway in the world where it is the air traffic control service that allows or prohibits trains from crossing the runway to continue their route.

32. Sometimes planes and trains are separated from each other in just a matter of seconds! This outlandish "denouement" is perhaps the first offer to tourists from New Zealand guides! A locomotive and a plane rushing towards each other, a sight common for Hollywood or Indian films, but not for everyday life!

33. The first freight railway in Russia was only 2 kilometers long. This miracle of science and technology of its time was powered by horse traction!

34. The longest freight trains in the history of the railway traveled to different parts of the world. One transported coal (no less - 42,000 tons per flight) to Uraliz Ekibastuz back in the era of the USSR. The train consisted of 440 cars. Their total length exceeded 6.5 kilometers.

35. The record was broken in South Africa. Here, a train of 660 wagons entered the route. Their total length was 7.3 kilometers. But the experiment, unlike the Soviet one, had no practical meaning. The canvas could not withstand the load, and the railway had to be closed for a long time for repairs.

"TUNNEL OF LOVE" IN UKRAINE

36. The “Tunnel of Love” is a picturesque three-kilometer section of the railway located near the village of Klevan in Ukraine. It leads to a fibreboard factory.

37. The train runs here three times a day, delivering wood to the Orzhevsky woodworking plant. It is the train that makes the growing tree branches bend around the tracks and maintains the tunnel in this state.

38. A beautiful sunny summer green corridor attracts couples in love, and in autumn and winter photographers who want to capture this beautiful miracle of nature. It is believed that if you visit the "Tunnel of Love" and make a cherished wish, it will surely come true.

BAIKAL-AMUR MAINLINE

39. The Baikal-Amur Mainline was built by the whole country. The best young people from all over the Soviet Union came, worked, settled down. Families were created here, real labor feats were accomplished, discoveries were made.

40. The BAM was designed as part of a systemic project for the development of significant natural resources in little-explored areas, through which, in fact, the road ran.

41. On the way to the BAM, it was planned to build about ten territorial-industrial giant complexes, but Gorbachev's perestroika made it possible to complete the construction of only one South Yakutsk coal complex.

42. Then, with great hopes, privatization transferred a number of resource deposits into private hands, but instead of loading the capacities of the BAM and massive development of mineral deposits in the “output” zone of the highway, only oligarchs with yachts turned out.

43. By the early 2000s, almost all projects for the development of the Baikal-Amur Mainline zone were suspended under “ideological” pretexts of inexpediency, and the decision of the Soviet leadership to build the BAM was diligently stigmatized as erroneous and hopeless. Although this project for half a century was considered simply vital for Siberia and the Far East, according to all experts.

44. It is gratifying that the current leadership of the country is seriously focused on the revival of the BAM and the region as a whole. And it is not just words. Recently, the Elga deposit has been successfully operating, where the first coal was mined in the summer of 2011. An access railway line is being built, connecting it with the highway.

45. The first super-heavy freight trains went along BAM, allowing to transport 7100 tons instead of the previous weight norm of 4800 tons, which should increase the profitability of transportation several times. This became possible after the commissioning of new powerful two-section locomotives of the 2ES5K Ermak series and diesel locomotives 2TE25A Vityaz. The trains successfully overcome the most difficult section of the route - the Kuznetsovsky Pass.

46. ​​The railway tracks themselves at the pass were reconstructed and strengthened, the New Kuznetsovsky Tunnel was put into operation. I will note for critics: “The trains have gone, but they will not go. The pass has been reconstructed, but will never be. "Ermaki" and "Vityazi" are put into operation, and are not at the design stage. So BAM has a bright future, because a road built with love cannot but live forever!

BALTIMORE AND OHIO RAILWAY

47. In 1827, Baltimore and Ohio became the first American company to receive a charter for the carriage of passengers and various goods. The company struggled to create a steam engine that would help overcome rough and uneven terrain and eliminate horse-drawn power.

48. Inventor Peter Cooper came to the rescue, who offered to design and build just such an engine. On August 28, 1830, Cooper's engine, named Tom Thumb (translated as "Thumb Boy"), on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad near Baltimore, went out to face off with a horse-drawn train. The locomotive immediately pulled ahead, and the leaders of Baltimore and Ohio, who were impressed by what they saw, decided to transfer their railway to steam traction. Soon, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad became one of the most successful railroads in the United States.

49. Want maximum security guarantees? Choose branded wagons of the carrier TKS. Their location in the composition and modern technical equipment ensure safety and comfort during the trip.

50. Modern high-speed trains drive along the railway at a speed of 320-430 km / h. And experimental innovative compositions are capable of accelerating to 603 km / h. And this, as scientists and engineers say, is far from the limit.

photo from open sources

1. The highest mountain railway in the world is the Qinghai-Tibet railway, the height of which is 5 kilometers. This railroad runs a train of individually designed cars, the specificity of which is carried out in the supply of oxygen, and in addition, each passenger has an oxygen mask for individual use.

2. Thailand has interesting place Where railway sleepers with rails laid in the middle of the local market, a train passes every day. Before its passage, a warning loud signal of a siren is given, after which the sellers in a hurry remove their goods and sheds from the travel part of the train, and after the passage of the train they put back the sheds and their goods in the same fast rhythm, after which the trade continues in a calm rhythm. But some vegetables and fruits lie still while the train passes, since those near the roadway do not interfere with the passage of the train and it does not touch them at all.

3. In Japan, there is one interesting station named Shibuya, where a monument to the most faithful friend of the dog was erected. This faithful dog waited 10 years for his owner, who once got on a train and left on it, never returned. Thus, a monument to the dog appeared at the Shibuya station for his faithful loyalty.

4. There is the legendary railway of Australia, which is without a hedgehog with a duration of 500 kilometers, and it is laid on a desert plain. This railway is listed in the Guinness Book of Records.

5. The first train without rails was built by the Japanese company Toshiba. High-speed train on a magnetic cushion has the ability to accelerate to a speed of 517 kilometers per hour.

6. But the maximum speed of a train that traveled by rail was recorded in the USA in the state of New Mexico, it reached 9851 kilometers per hour. This train had an experimental rocket engine.

7. At one time, a Vip train was sent across Switzerland, in which nobles from the high society of Switzerland gathered. On a solemn occasion, only restaurant cars were present in this train. The most annoying thing about these cars was that the organizers forgot about the toilets. Having approached the train to its final station, where quite a few people had gathered to meet them, those who met them were stunned by what they saw, while honored passengers, after stopping, very quickly rushed out of all the doors of the cars.

The very first railway in the world, designed to use steam engines, connected the coal mines located near the English village of Shildon with the cities of Stockton-on-Tees and Darlington. Its official opening took place in 1825. The economic meaning of this project was the prompt delivery of coal from the mines to the port for loading onto sea ships. Transportation on the first railroad in the world quickly turned into a very profitable business. Commercial gain led to the construction of an additional line to the Port of Middlesbrough. In the early stages of the operation of the world's first railway, coal trains were powered by steam locomotives, and passenger cars were pulled by horses.

background

Underground mines in the vicinity of Shildon have existed since ancient times. Before the advent of the world's first railway, coal was transported by carts. At the very beginning of the 19th century, a project to build a canal arose, which could become a solution to the transport problem, but this idea was not realized. The main obstacle was the dissent of John Scott, Peer of England and second Earl of Eldon. In accordance with the plan drawn up by the engineers, the canal was supposed to be drawn through his land holdings.

The birth of an idea

The project for the construction of the first railway in the world was presented to the British Parliament for approval in 1821. The main investor was the businessman Edward Pease, who invested in this enterprise a huge sum of seven thousand pounds sterling at that time. As the largest shareholder, he had a significant impact on the process of building the world's first railway. The project was approved by Parliament and the King, but there was no mention of the use of steam locomotives in the text of the official building permit.

George Stephenson

The main investor and inspirer of the project of the world's first railway sought to find the most competent specialist capable of implementing advanced technologies for the early 19th century. He chose George Stephenson, a talented engineer who already had experience building steam engines. To manage the project, a special committee was created, whose members were appointed by the meeting of shareholders. The main investors of the enterprise belonged to the Christian Protestant Quaker movement. Among them was Edward Pease, who was later called "the father of the world's first railway." Due to the sectarian affiliation of the project's authors, the Stockton-Darlington rail track is also known as the "Quaker line".

George Stephenson was assisted in the planning process by his son Robert. The engineer made a number of suggestions designed to facilitate the implementation of a task that was quite difficult by the standards of that era. For example, he recommended using a malleable grade of iron for making rails. In 1822, a meeting of stockholders formally named Stephenson chief engineer. In accordance with the final version of the project, the length of the world's first railway was to be about 40 kilometers. The distance between the rails is four feet and eight inches (1.42 meters). Stephenson actively advocated the operation of steam locomotives and managed to convince shareholders of the prospects of this idea. In 1823, the British Parliament gave special permission for the use of "self-propelled machines".

Opening

Edward Pease and George Stephenson together founded the first locomotive building factory in history. It was located in Newcastle. On September 16, 1825, the first steam locomotive left the plant. Soon it was presented to the general public.

The cost of creating the first railway in the world greatly exceeded the original calculations. The company was forced to take out a short-term loan of £60,000. Shareholders hoped that the project would soon begin to make a profit, which would make it possible to repay a huge debt. The first railroad in the world was built in 1825. Its official opening took place on September 27. The locomotive, pulling 21 wagons, set off at about 7 o'clock in the morning. A rider with a flag rode ahead of the train. In a train equipped with seats, there were from 450 to 600 passengers. On some sections of the route, the train developed a speed of up to 24 kilometers per hour.

The first test was not without technical problems. The train made a forced stop lasting 20 minutes due to the fact that a wheel fell off the car in which the company representatives and engineers were traveling. Another half an hour had to be spent repairing the steam locomotive. The train covered a distance of 14 kilometers and was greeted by an enthusiastic crowd of 10,000 people in Darlington. This journey took a total of two hours. The owners of the enterprise considered the opening successful and organized a festive banquet.

Operation in the early stages

When the first railway in the world appeared, the financial situation of the company that built it left much to be desired. The enterprise was under the burden of debts and could not attract new loans. The beginning of the operation of the road was the key to solving financial problems. By 1827, the company paid off its debts. Its share price quickly rose from £120 to £160. The company began to make a profit that could be invested in the development of the world's first railway.

In the early stages, the rail track was used exclusively for transporting coal. During the first three months of operation, the volume of transportation amounted to 10 thousand tons. The use of steam engines increased the amount of coal supplied and caused a significant drop in its market price. Soon the volume of transportation reached 52 thousand tons per year.

Profitability

The first locomotives were not very reliable. Their cast-iron wheels often became a source of problems. Regular repairs took a lot of time and required additional financial costs. In the early period, steam locomotives were less economically advantageous than horses. However, as technical problems were solved, their profitability increased. In 1828, a report was presented to the shareholders' meeting stating that the use of steam engines cut transportation costs in half. However, part of the passenger trains still used horse traction.

Founding of Middlesbrough

The coal transportation business, which had become the main source of profit for the railway company, needed further development and expansion. The port of Stockton could not accommodate enough ships. One of the company's engineers suggested building a new branch to Middlesbrough. This plan received approval from George Stephenson and the shareholders' meeting. The deepwater port of Middlesbrough could greatly speed up the delivery of coal. Before the advent of the railway line, there were only a few residential buildings in this area. The transformation of Middlesbrough into an important transport hub was the reason for the emergence of the city. Currently, its population is 174 thousand people.

Improvements

The railway was constantly modernized. In 1832 the second tracks were built. Around the same time, the use of horse-drawn passenger trains ceased. Steam locomotives replaced horses. Train timetables and signaling were introduced, which later became common on all British railways. Gradually increased the power of locomotives. In 1839, the average speed of passenger trains was 35 kilometers per hour. The number of flights between Stockton and Darlington reached six per day. An average of 200,000 passengers used the railway services annually. The division of wagons into three classes began, depending on which the fare was set. In 1863 the Stockton-Darlington line became part of the North Eastern Railway of Great Britain.