Stockton and Darlington Railway

 

Gladstone's Library 

Hawarden

Flinshire

 

On this day (September 27th) in 1825 the world's first modern railway, the Stockton and Darlington Railway, opened, with 25 miles of track.

At this time William Ewart Gladstone was just 15 years old. When Gladstone died in 1898 there was more than 20,000 miles of track in the UK. Imagine how different travel would have been at various points in his life!

Did you know we hold a collection of books on the history of technology? Created by Richard L. Hills, it covers a wide range of technology including gas, papermaking, and the railway. Please get in touch if you would like to find out more about this collection!

: A practical treatise on rail-roads, and interior communication in general - Hil L.3/35

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