The first proper railway was the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, which opened on September 15, 1830 with ceremonial trains leaving from Edge Hill in Liverpool. By "proper", I mean:
  1. steam locomotives the whole way (previous railways, like the 1825 Stockport and Darlington Railway used rope haulage with stationary engines for part of the route)
  2. both passengers and freight (previous railways were either freight-only or carried freight by steam and passengers by horse haulage)
  3. commercially run (set fares and freight haulage rates)
  4. regular timetables (not just a one-off demonstration project, or irregular service whenever the freight cars filled up)

The original main terminus in Liverpool, Crown Street, is long gone. The tunnel (later open cut) to Lime Street Station was opened in 1836. The original Manchester terminus at Liverpool Road is still extant, and is the oldest passenger railway station in the world, though it is no longer a stop along the line.



Many features of the L&MR are still visible today along the original route. One of the most interesting is Rainhill, where the famous locomotive trials were held in 1829. The tunnel from Edge Hill to Wapping Dock goods station (never any passenger service) has been closed for decades but is rumored to be in line for a Merseyrail electric train line. A similar tunnel, also closed, runs from Edge Hill to Waterloo tunnel and the northern docks.