The opening of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway in September 1830 was one of the key events of 19th century England. It was the first railway, which used steam locomotives for all traffic, the first to link two major cities, and the first on which passenger traffic was treated as a serious business. The railway was an instant success. All those who were sceptical about steam power were proved wrong. Within a few years a network of iron rails was spreading across Britain. Life was transformed. Bulk transport of coal, iron, stone and grain made national marketing possible. Towns and cities all across the country were within easy reach of each other.