The invention of the train was extremely important all over the world and here in Athlone was no different.
In the year 1804 Richard Trevithick invented the 1’st steam powered train locomotive.
In 1814 George Stephenson invented hi 1’st locomotive and in 1829 he invented the impresive “The Rocket” locomotive.It was called “The Rocket” because of the fact it could reach an average speed of 20mph.
In 1834 the 1’st railway in Ireland ran from Dublin to kingstown which is Dun Laoighaire.
After “The Rocket” steam-powered trains were developed on a large scale,in lots of countries.For over a 100 years the train was the main transport in the world.
It was in the 1950’s when steam trains were eventually replaced by electric and diesel trains in Ireland.This was then followed by the Dublin Area Rapid Transit,DART in dublin in 1984.This was then followed by the development of the Luas in Dublin in 2004.
The development of the train has came a long way since “The Rocket” was made by George Stephenson, but the importance of the train to towns like Athlone can be clearly seen, for example with all the tourist and goods that arrive in Athlone on a daily basis
