* c1550 Horse-drawn wagonways appear in Germany. * 1761 First iron rails laid at Bath, England. * 1782 Scottish engineer James Watt invents first steam engine able to turn wheels. * 1789 English engineer William Jessop uses flanged iron wheels on iron edge rails on coal railway at Loughborough, Leicestershire. * 1803 Arguably, the world's first public railway, the Surrey Iron Railway opens in south London. * 1804 World's first steam locomotive built by Richard Trevithick. * 1807 First paying passenger service on the Oystermouth Railway, better known as the Swansea and Mumbles Railway * 1814 George Stephenson constructs his first locomotive, Blucher. * 1825 Stephenson's Stockton and Darlington Railway, the world's first steam operated railway opens, carrying freight from a Colliery to a river port. * 1829 George and Robert Stephenson's locomotive, The Rocket, sets a speed record of 47 km/h (29 mph) at the Rainhill Trials held near Liverpool. * 1830 The Canterbury and Whitstable Railway opens in Kent, England on the 3 May, Engineered by George Stevenson, 3 months before the Liverpool and Manchester Railway. A 5¾ mile line running from Canterbury to the small port and fishing town of Whitstable, approx 55 miles east of London. Traction was provided by two Stationary Winding Engines, and "INVICTA"; Invicta was an 0-4-0 Loco, but only operated on a level section of track owing to the fact she produced a meager 9 hp.