Group    From 26/7/1803  To 1846

Surrey Iron Railway Company

Categories: Transport

The first public railway in England, probably the first in the world.

A transport system from London to Portsmouth was needed, either a canal or a tramway. The engineer William Jessop, recommended a tramway. He was given the job to build the first phase, from the Thames at the Ram Brewery in Wandsworth to Croydon, closely following the River Wandle which was already heavily industrialised. This began in 1801 and the route of nearly 9 miles was completed together with the Wandsworth Basin so it was opened 1803.  

An extension to Godstone was authorised but only actually reached Mestham. This operated from 1805, making the entire route 18 miles long. Portsmouth was never reached.

This early rail-way consisted of rails, with a gauge of 4' 2", on cast iron plates laid on stone sleepers. The goods waggons were pulled by horses. The rails meant that a single horse could pull much more than its usual load so the system was very efficient, but not as good as steam locomotive railways and the SIR closed in 1846.  The Croydon Tramlink today uses much of the old SIR route.

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Surrey Iron Railway Company

Commemorated ati

Surrey Iron Railway Company - Croydon, Reeves Corner

Surrey Iron Railway Company 1801 {At the centre is an image of a draped femal...

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Surrey Iron Railway Company - Wandsworth

Surrey Iron Railway Company 1801 {At the centre is an image of a draped femal...

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Charing Cross Station - renovation

Charing Cross Station - renovation

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1 memorial
Croydon tram derailment

Croydon tram derailment

The tram carrying 69 passengers, had left New Addington bound for Wimbledon. At 6.07 a.m. as it approached Sandilands station on a sharp bend, it overturned on its right side. Seven passengers were...

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Lance Corporal Charles Albert Still

Lance Corporal Charles Albert Still

Charles Albert Still was born on 26 April 1899 in Shoreham-by-Sea, Sussex, a son of Harry Still (1865-1932) and Elizabeth Still née Charles (1859-1933). His birth was registered in the 2nd quarter ...

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Priscilla Bright McLaren

Priscilla Bright McLaren

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Karl Marx - NW3

Karl Marx - NW3

NW3, Maitland Park Road

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Mark Ashton

Mark Ashton

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1 memorial
J. Ault
War dead, WW1
1 memorial
W. Nash

W. Nash

Serviceman killed in WW1

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War dead, WW1
1 memorial