Rise of the Railways

Before the railways

•Roads were in bad condition •Horsepower could only carry small loads •Canals could not meet growing demand

What was the answer?

The Industrial Revolution created a need to

transport materials quicker and cheaper.

Steam locomotivesIn 1800 Richard Trevithick invented the first steam tramway locomotive. It was used to move goods rather than passengers.

The locomotive could pull bigger loads over much greater distances.

Passenger locomotives

In 1825, the first steam locomotive to carry people was used.

When it let out steam people ran away because they were scared.

In 1829, Robert Stephenson designed a faster locomotive called the Rocket.

This was the first train to run between cities.

Railway maniaBy the 1830s, railway mania was gripping the country and over the next 50 years many new railway lines were developed. Listen to a steam

train

Source: Victorian Railways by Andrew Langley

Rise of the Midland Railway

Derby Railway Station opened in 1840.

Three railway companies ran from Derby until 1844, when they joined together to form the Midland Railway.

Rows of terraced houses were built around the station for railway workers.

More and more people moved to Derby to work on the railways or in companies that sprang up because of the railway’s arrival.

Workers at Midland Company’s locomotive works in Derby1860

Year Population of Derby

1801 11,000

1841 37,000

1903 118,000

Growth of Derby

In 1851, 43% of the adults in Derby had been born outside the county.

Railways bring change

Before the railways time was different across the country.

‘Standardised time’ meant everyone could set their watches and clocks to the same time. This:

•Avoided confusion over timetables•Reduced the number of accidents and near misses

Everyday aspects of people’s lives changed in many ways that we take for granted today.

News and leisure

Newspapers could be delivered to the rest of the country within the day so news spread much faster.

People were able to go on trips and holiday to new places.

Football teams from industrial towns could travel to play matches on Saturdays to entertain workers on their afternoon off.

Fresh food was more widely available and cheaper.

Impact of the railways

The railways opened up places and experiences that people had never had before.

Why do you think the rise of the railways was so important???