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Home > Surrey Iron Railway


The Surrey Iron Railway (SIR) linked Wandsworth in south London and Croydon in Surrey via Mitcham. It was constructed in the early years of the 19th century (opening on 26 July 1803), and was (arguably) Britain's, if not the world's, first public railway — albeit horse-drawn.

The nine-mile route followed the shallow valley of the River Wandle, then heavily industrialised with numerous factories and mills, running from the River Thames in the north southwards to Croydon (a short branch also ran from Mitcham to Hackbridge ). The line was subsequently extended through Purley and Coulsdon to serve quarries near Godstone and Merstham (known as the Croydon Merstham and Godstone Railway : opened 1805Events January 11 Michigan Territory is created. February 15 Harmony Society officially formed March 1 Justice Samuel Chase acquitted of impeachment charges by the U. Senate April 27 United States Marines and Berbers attack the Tripolitan city of Derna (T, closed 1838Events January 6 Samuel Morse first publicly demonstrates the telegraph. January 8 Alfred Vail demonstrates a telegraph using dots and dashes (this is the forerunner of Morse code) January 12 Joseph Smith, Jr. and Sidney Rigdon flee Ohio for Missouri Marc).

Engineer William JessopWilliam Jessop ( 23 January 1745 18 November 1814) was a noted English civil engineer, particularly famed for his work on canals, harbours and early railways in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Jessop was born in Devonport, Devon in 1745, the son o was chief engineer and the flat alignment of his route proved more long-lasting than the Surrey Iron Railway itself. The advent of faster and more powerful steam locomotiveA locomotive is a vehicle that provides the motive power for a railway train. Traditionally, the locomotive or locomotives are positioned at the front of a train, pulling passenger carriages and/or freight vehicles. This requires the locomotive to be moves spelled the end for horse-drawn railways, and the SIR closed in 1846Events January 5 The United States House of Representatives votes to stop sharing the Oregon Territory with the United Kingdom February 5 The Oregon Spectator becomes the first newspaper on the Pacific coast of the United States. February 10 Many Mormons. Jessop's route, however, was retained for use by the London and BrightonThis article is about the English town; Brighton is also the name of several other places. Brighton in East Sussex is one of the largest and most famous seaside resorts in England. Brighton and Hove form a single conurbation but Brighton's lively atmosphe Railway and remains in use.

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Rail transportThis is the top-level page of WikiProject trains A railroad or railway is a guided means of land transport, designed for trains to use for transporting both passengers and freight. It consists of two parallel rails, usually made of steel, and wooden or co Surrey

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