Railways during the Industrial Revolution in Great Britain
introduction
- They were perhaps the most visible element of the Industrial Revolution. they
deeply influenced ...
We could ask : "How was the invention of railways impactful for the 19th century in
Britain?"
First, we are going to tell how railways were invented. Then, we will explain the
development of railways. Finally, we will reveal its impact.
[From the 1750s, cast iron wheels began to replace wooden wheels; this further
reduced friction and increased efficiency. Initially rails were made of wood and they
had to be replaced relatively frequently. The first known use of cast iron rails was in
1767 at Coalbrookdale in Shropshire, where coal had first been smelted with coke by
the iron master Abraham Derby in 1709; this is now a world heritage site with an
excellent collection of industrial museums. Iron rails reduced friction still more so
they allowed each horse to pull an even greater weight plus they were more durable
than wooden rails. By the end of the eighteenth century, several hundred miles of
horse-drawn waggon-ways existed primarily on the coal-fields
Thus, the early railways were built with primitive technologies. Most modern readers
would probably not recognise a horse-drawn waggon-way as a true railway. They
had limited functions and only served the private purposes of their builders. All this
changed in the nineteenth century due, in no small part, to the introduction of steam
power into railways.
The world’s first public passenger railway, the Oystermouth Railway, which ran from
Swansea to Oystermouth, opened in 1807 and was operated by horses. ]
part 2: developement of railway
Stephenson became famous with the opening of the Stockton and Darlington
Railway in 1825. This railway was only 27 miles long but it provided proof of concept
by being the world’s first steam-powered public railway. The Stockton and Darlington
Railway inspired the first wave of railway development and 25 new railways were
authorised by Parliament over the next five years.
One of these was the Liverpool to Manchester Railway, which opened in
1830.
The Liverpool and Manchester Railway is regarded as the start of the railway
age. Stephenson’s Rocket was selected for use on the railway.
At the end of 1830, there were just over 125 miles of railway lines in Britain
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller aishsha109. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $7.91. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.