Celebrating the 200th anniversary of the modern railway

Recreate the first steam train journey in an open carriage at Glenbrook Vintage Railway in New Zealand. — Photos: DAVID BOWDEN

Rail travel first began on Sept 27, 1825.

Two centuries ago, the world’s first steam train ran in northern England and transformed modern transportation. Not long after, other railways opened in England and the rest of Europe, before it became a phenomenon that helped open trade, communications, and transportation around the globe.

It must have been an amazing but terrifying scene as George Stephenson’s steam locomotive slowly inched, puffing and hissing its way out of Stockton in northern England towards Darlington, 200 years ago.

A man on horseback preceded the locomotive, waving a red flag warning all to get out of the way. Children hid behind their parents, who looked quizzically at the “iron horse” that powered its way across County Durham and into history books.

The Stockton and Darlington Railway carried freight from collieries near Shildon to Darlington and Stockton-on-Tees in County Durham. The railway opened on Sept 26, but Stephenson’s contraption hauled hundreds of passengers on the world’s first steam-powered passenger railway the day after.

While engineers had been tinkering with steam engines for several decades, Stephenson’s journey of 42km is recognised as the world’s first public steam-powered locomotive journey operated along a railway. Some 25 years before, Richard Trevithick, a Cornish mining engineer, developed a steam railway locomotive on the Merthyr (Penydarren) Tramroad, near Merthyr Tydfil in Wales. 

This industrial operation served to facilitate the ironworks located in south-east Wales.

Stephenson introduced the “steam blast”, by which exhaust steam was redirected up the chimney, pulling air after it and increasing the draft. He went on to develop the acclaimed “Rocket”, which was built for and won the Rainhill Trials of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, held in late 1829.

Though not the first steam locomotive, it was the first to bring together several innovations that produced the most advanced locomotive of its day. Its design became the template for most steam engines in the following 150 years.

Travel revolutionised

While Stephenson is popularly credited with building the “Rocket”, it was his son Robert who took charge of the steam locomotive’s design and construction in their Newcastle-upon-Tyne factory.

The senior Stephenson’s invention changed the world forever, and the idea of iron horses hurtling along rail tracks soon took off. It signalled the era of mass transportation and global trade. From this time on, railroad construction spread rapidly throughout Europe, North America, and most other parts of the world.

The advent of the railway marked a decisive break from centuries of slow, unreliable overland travel. With their emergence after the 1830s, railways quickly became instruments of industrial transformation, enabling the rapid movement of goods, people, and ideas on an unprecedented scale.

Today, global trade would essentially grind to a halt without these extensive railway networks. Increasing numbers of travellers are also choosing to explore their world from the comfort and convenience of trains.

Essential train journeys

There are many famous railways around the globe, including the Glacier Express (Switzerland), the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express (Europe), the Flying Scotsman (Scotland), The Ghan (Australia), the Indian Pacific (Australia), the Hiram Bingham (Peru), and the Rocky Mountaineer (Canada).

For train enthusiasts, travelling on these luxury trains isn’t just about the destination but rather the journey with indulgent treats such as a free flow of Champagne, grand degustation dinners, onboard massages and spa treatments, deluxe sleeping cabins with en suite bathrooms, guided off-train excursions, and highly personalised service.

Many people aspire to travel on these luxurious trains, though not in the manner portrayed in Agatha Christie’s famous novel, Murder On The Orient Express. For example, the Eastern and Oriental Express, which commences and ends its multi-day journeys in Singapore, operates mostly on the Malaysian rail network, transporting its well-heeled clientele to quintessential destinations such as Taman Negara in Pahang, and Penang.

Switzerland’s Glacier Express travels along one of the world’s most scenic routes.

Iconic regional journeys

In addition to the Eastern and Oriental Express, there are other iconic regional rail journeys; some of them are luxurious, while others are celebrated for the scenic route that the train operates on.

One of Asia’s best-kept rail secrets is the single-track railway from Kota Kinabalu, up the Padas Valley and to the inland town of Tenom in Sabah. This 134km section of track is the only railway line on the Bornean island (this may change when the new Indonesian capital of Nusantara fully opens).

I have travelled on this line several times, as well as on the heritage North Borneo Railway steam train that once operated to Papar on a section of this line. The railway to Tenom is one of the most authentic rail journeys in the region and a valuable lifeline for those living in small communities along the way.

The train from Tenom provides a vital link to Kota Kinabalu city for villagers living along the rail line in Sabah.

My suggestion is to travel by road to the coffee town of Tenom, stay the night, and then catch the early morning train back to Kota Kinabalu.

While there are many trains to highlight, I have chosen a small selection of outstanding journeys within the Asia Pacific region, such as Vietnam, Australia, and New Zealand.

Vietnam has taken a creative approach to its rail network, including allowing private companies to hook luxury carriages onto normal scheduled services. The Vietage by hotel group Anantara is one such luxury service that operates between Danang, Quy Nhon, and Nha Trang.

I recently travelled south, between Danang and Quy Nhon, on a memorable six-hour journey through rural and coastal Vietnam. With just 12 passengers per carriage, the service is very personalised, and the seating is most comfortable. Remember to get a neck and shoulder massage before disembarking.

Australia is a popular destination for Malaysian travellers, and there are some great rail experiences in the country, including the luxurious multi-day journeys on The Ghan (which runs from Darwin to Adelaide) and the Indian Pacific (Perth to Sydney). While both are expensive and have long waiting lists, other train journeys are more accessible.

In Victoria, I recommend the Q Train and Puffing Billy, both hauled by steam locomotives and popular with visitors. Children (and some adults) will revel in the possibility of hanging their legs outside the carriage windows on Puffing Billy, which operates in the forested hills on the outskirts of Melbourne.

In another part of Victoria, the Q Train travels between Drysdale and Queenscliff and offers experiences such as lavish lunches or themed musical events.

Across the Tasman Sea in New Zealand, the Glenbrook Vintage Railway operates as a tourist attraction on most weekends with several locomotives, including those powered by steam.

A little to the north, the Bay of Islands’ Vintage Railway operates a diesel locomotive along the main street of Kawakawa. Meanwhile, scheduled daily services on the Northern Explorer between Wellington and Auckland enable passengers to enjoy the lush agricultural pastures from the comfort of an open-sided carriage.

Passengers on the Eastern and Oriental Express travel in style in heritage carriages.

Powering into history

Advances in rail travel and locomotion are ongoing with the rapid increase in high-speed rail networks around the globe and other developments like Maglev technology (magnetic levitation). Most global rail networks are expanding as new tracks are laid, and much of these new tracks are high-speed rail.

For example, China is rapidly expanding its high-speed rail network, while Vietnam is contemplating such a system to better connect the north of the country to the south. The high-speed train between Jakarta and Bandung in Indonesia has revolutionised travel between these destinations.

In Malaysia, the double-track East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) from Port Klang, Selangor to Kota Baru in Kelantan is expected to be operational by early 2027. It is destined to revitalise the East Coast and drastically reduce land travelling times.

A vintage steam train, hauled by an original steam locomotive from the 1960s, is planned to run in Vietnam along a scenic coastal route between Danang and Hue. There has also been talk of a nostalgic steam train between Kuala Lumpur and Butterworth in Penang, but nothing has materialised yet.

In 1825, rail transportation was born when the first public passenger train, hauled by Stephenson’s Active (later renamed Locomotion) locomotive, operated between Darlington and Stockton in England, carrying passengers at a speed of 24km per hour. This simple machine changed the world forever; one wonders what the next 200 years hold for transportation.