LONDON (AP) – The historic British train journey that laid the foundation for much of the modern day is celebrated on Saturday, on its 200th anniversary.
On September 27, 1825, the first steam-powered railway engine to run on the public railway – George Stephenson’s Move Number 1 – traveled 26 miles (42 km) on the Stockton & Darlington Railway between Shilton and Stockton via Darlington in northeastern England.
It was a small but important milestone that mitigated the rapid changes in the way the UK and then the world lives, trades, travels, and communicates.
Stockton & Darlington was not the first railway, but it was the first time that it incorporated the steam-emission features of standard gauges that form the basis of railways around the world.
Railway enthusiasts have been marking milestones at events in the UK for the year, but the highlights are undoubtedly happening where it all began.
On Saturday, thousands are expected to line up on the route as newly restored replicas of No. 1 recreate the original journey to mark Vicentenary in the Stockton and Darlington Railway sections. The journey that began on Friday runs throughout the weekend.
Prince Edward, Charles III’s youngest brother, was one of the passengers on a carriage on Friday, being pulled by a replica engine on a short journey to Sildon.
Doug Haynes, 81, a retired aircraft engineer, traveled about 100 miles to Shildon to witness the re-enactment on Friday.
“It was incredible,” he said. “The work they put in to make this happen was worth traveling for me.”
There was an equally joyous scene when people, including newspaper reporters, traveled from all over the country and lined up trucks. A holiday was also declared for Darlington.
The enthusiasts could not have imagined what the ripple effect would be when they cheered on Passing’s Movement No. 1.
The railway quickly enabled the rapid transport of raw materials such as coal and iron ore, undoubtedly expanding urbanisation and transformed social life, freeing up time for leisure activities, and opening up the country to tourism and the middle class.
Overall, it played a pivotal role in Britain becoming a global industrial and economic power in the 19th century, fostering the rapid expansion of the British Empire.
“It was amazing to see it move,” said Louise Jones, 39, who saw the replica train begin his journey. “My father used to work on the railway. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see what looked like 200 years ago.”
