The History Of TRAINS


(2)The Racing Rocket

Railway fever had begun. It was decided to build a new line between Liverpool and Manchester. In 1829, a competition was held to test locomotives for the new line. Huge crowds gathered at Rainhill near Liverpool to watch the trails. The Perseverance was too slow, and the Sans Pareil broke down too often. The 500 pounds prize was collected by George Stephenson, whose Rocket traveled 113 kilometers at an average speed of 24kph. Its highest speed was 46kph. The Liverpool to Manchester Railway was engineered by George Stephenson. It was opened by the Duke of Wellington in September 1830, and proved to be a great success.

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