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'''George Stephenson''' (1781-1841) is generally considered to be the 'Father of the [[Railway]]'; although he neither invented railways nor steam locomotion, he improved the engineering of the former and the technology of the latter to such an extent that modern railway transportation became possible.

'''George Stephenson''' (1781-1841) is generally considered to be the 'Father of the [[Railway]]'; although he neither invented railways nor steam locomotion, he improved the engineering of the former and the technology of the latter to such an extent that modern railway transportation became possible.

Stephenson was born in Wylam, [[Northumberland]], in north-east [[England]], the son of a coal-miner. He was illiterate until attending night-school as a yound adult, but his technical ability, intelligence and determination secured him employment at Killingworth Colliery, near [[Newcastle upon Tyne]]. At Killingworth he built successful locomotives for the mine railway; in the 1810s he built the Hetton Colliery Railway (at that time, the longest railway line ever built at one time); and in the early 1820s was appointed engineer to the Stockton & Darlington Railway, the first public (i.e. not owned by a colliery), steam-powered (in part) line in the world. This was built to carry coal from the SW [[Durham]] coalfield to navigable water on the [[River Tees]], as well as other goods and passengers, and opened in 1825. In the later 1820s he was engineer to the [[Liverpool]] & [[Manchester]] Railway, which opened in 1830, and for which he developed the advanced steam locomotive [[Rocket]]. The L&MR was the world's first inter-city rail route, linking two of the fastest-growing cities of the [[Industrial Revolution]]. The line crossed flat, but not easy, terrain: the biggest problem faced by Stephenson was crossing the great bog of Chat Moss. Attempts to create an earth causeway across the bog were frustrated by its unexpected depth; instead, Stephenson laid the railway lines on floating wicker rafts.  

Stephenson was born in Wylam, [[Northumberland]], in north-east [[England]], the son of a coal-miner. He was illiterate until attending night-school as a yound adult, but his technical ability, intelligence and determination secured him employment at Killingworth Colliery, near [[Newcastle upon Tyne]]. At Killingworth he built successful locomotives for the mine railway; in the 1810s he built the Hetton Colliery Railway (at that time, the longest railway line ever built at one time); and in the early 1820s was appointed engineer to the [[Stockton and Darlington Railway]], the first public (i.e. not owned by a colliery), steam-powered (in part) line in the world. This was built to carry coal from the SW [[Durham]] coalfield to navigable water on the [[River Tees]], as well as other goods and passengers, and opened in 1825. In the later 1820s he was engineer to the [[Liverpool]] & [[Manchester]] Railway, which opened in 1830, and for which he developed the advanced steam locomotive [[Rocket]]. The L&MR was the world's first inter-city rail route, linking two of the fastest-growing cities of the [[Industrial Revolution]]. The line crossed flat, but not easy, terrain: the biggest problem faced by Stephenson was crossing the great bog of Chat Moss. Attempts to create an earth causeway across the bog were frustrated by its unexpected depth; instead, Stephenson laid the railway lines on floating wicker rafts.  

Stephenson went on to build numerous railway lines, mainly in northern and midland England, including:

Stephenson went on to build numerous railway lines, mainly in northern and midland England, including: