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 was completed together with the Wandsworth Basin so it was opended 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 the rails on which carriages 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. The SIR was the first public railway in the world not connected with a canal.
This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Surrey Iron Railway Company
Commemorated ati
Surrey Iron Railway Company - Croydon
Surrey Iron Railway Company 1801 {At the centre is an image of a draped femal...
Surrey Iron Railway Company - Wandsworth
Surrey Iron Railway Company 1801 {At the centre is an image of a draped femal...
Other Subjects
Bow Railway Station
Former railway station. Opened by the East & West India Docks and Birmingham Junction Railway, which was later renamed the North London Railway (NLR). It was located close to the second Bow Roa...
Derek Turner
Was the Traffic Director for London, 1991 - 2001, and was instrumental in establishing, maintaining and monitoring 512km of Red Routes and devising Bus Lane Enforcement Cameras.
Gloucester Gate Bridge
The king gave up part of Regent's Park for this public improvement. The bridge, designed by William Booth Scott, was once considered one of the finest bridges in London. Bomb damage in 1941 caused...
College Road Tollgate
The only surviving tollgate in London. The current charge (2018) is £1.20. This drawing shows the tollgate in possibly the late 18th or early 19th century.