This day in railway history

[A S Leib]

Which events happened on each day of the year in railway history?

Starting off with today, there was the opening of the first part of the London and Southampton Railway between Nine Elms and Woking, on 21 May 1838.

 

[Rescars]

Tomorrow (22nd May) is the 110th anniversary of the tragic events at Quintinshill.

 

[ian1944]

Peripherally, the Manchester Ship Canal officially opened on 21 May 1894 (having been in use since 1 january). It obviated using trains to transport goods to/from Liverpool and suffer what were regarded as extortionate port charges.

 

[Ted633]

Bit of a more recent one, but today 15 years ago was the last day that Mk1 EMUs carried passengers under their own power (Last day of the 3CIGs on the Lymington Branch)

 

[Harvester]

Today is the 66th anniversary of the Stephenson Locomotive Society's “Golden Jubilee Special” which ran on 23rd May 1959. Bill Hoole drove A4 60007 hard down Stoke Bank, and reached a maximum speed of 112mph, an official post-war record for steam traction!