oct 6, 1829 - Stephenson's Rocket

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The Industrialized nation of Great Britain was in need of a fast method of transportation in order to carry manufactured products to market and to bring raw materials to the factories. In 1829 there was an exhibition by the Liverpool and Manchester Railway Company of the new steam locomotive. It was called "Rocket." Rocket was able to top out at a speed of 24mph, the fastest recorded speed of any vehicle up to that point. This use of the new steam engine made trains a true product of Britain's industrial innovation. Barges and canals had provided accessible transportation for industry, but focus soon shifted towards the more productive railroads. The proliferation of railroads in the 19th century allowed for further industrialization in Europe at large rather than just Britain. The railroad was especially useful in connecting all of Russia for the first time.

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