Quiz of the Day
Trains & Great Railways
Sunday, 27 September 2026
The Stockton & Darlington Railway opened on 27 Sep 1825 — all aboard for locomotives, famous railways and rail history.
1. Which engineer is often called the 'Father of Railways' and built the Stockton & Darlington Railway?
- Thomas Telford
- Richard Trevithick
- Isambard Kingdom Brunel
- George Stephenson
George Stephenson engineered the Stockton & Darlington Railway, which opened on 27 September 1825 as the world's first public railway to use steam locomotives. His engine 'Locomotion No. 1' hauled the inaugural train. His work standardised the 4 ft 8½ in gauge still used across much of the world today.
2. Which famous locomotive won the 1829 Rainhill Trials?
- Locomotion
- Sans Pareil
- Rocket
- Novelty
Stephenson's 'Rocket' won the Rainhill Trials in October 1829, a competition to choose locomotives for the Liverpool & Manchester Railway. It combined a multi-tube boiler and blast pipe that became the template for later steam engines. The original Rocket survives today in the Science Museum in London.
3. The 1869 completion of the first US transcontinental railroad was marked by a golden spike driven at Promontory Summit in which state?
- Wyoming
- Utah
- Nevada
- California
On 10 May 1869 the Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroads met at Promontory Summit, Utah, joined by a ceremonial golden spike. The link cut cross-country travel from months to about a week. The event was one of the first news stories transmitted by telegraph in near real time across the country.
4. The Trans-Siberian Railway runs from Moscow to which far-eastern Russian city?
- Irkutsk
- Novosibirsk
- Khabarovsk
- Vladivostok
The Trans-Siberian Railway connects Moscow with Vladivostok on the Pacific coast, covering roughly 9,289 km. It is the longest railway line in the world and crosses eight time zones. A complete journey without stops takes about seven days.
5. What is the name of Japan's high-speed 'bullet train' network?
- Shinkansen
- Maglev
- Nozomi
- Sakura
The Shinkansen began service in 1964 with the Tōkaidō line linking Tokyo and Osaka, just in time for the Tokyo Olympics. 'Shinkansen' literally means 'new trunk line' in Japanese. The network has carried billions of passengers with a remarkable safety record and near-legendary punctuality.
6. The steam locomotive Mallard set the world speed record for steam in 1938 at approximately what speed?
- 102 mph
- 88 mph
- 148 mph
- 126 mph
On 3 July 1938 the LNER Class A4 locomotive Mallard reached 126 mph (about 203 km/h) on a slight downhill stretch in England. That remains the official world speed record for a steam locomotive. Its streamlined blue shape was designed by Sir Nigel Gresley.
7. The original Orient Express luxury service linked Paris with which eastern city?
- Constantinople
- Budapest
- Athens
- Vienna
The Orient Express began in 1883, eventually running from Paris to Constantinople (modern Istanbul). It became a byword for glamorous long-distance travel and inspired novels including Agatha Christie's 'Murder on the Orient Express'. Early journeys involved ferry and connecting legs before a through route was established.
8. The high-speed TGV train network belongs to which country?
- Italy
- Germany
- Spain
- France
The TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse) launched in 1981 with a Paris–Lyon route operated by French railways. In 2007 a specially modified TGV set a rail speed record of 574.8 km/h (357 mph) on conventional track. It transformed intercity travel across France and neighbouring countries.
9. In which year did the Channel Tunnel between England and France open?
- 1990
- 1994
- 1988
- 1999
The Channel Tunnel opened in 1994, connecting Folkestone in England with Coquelles in France beneath the English Channel. At about 50 km it includes the longest undersea section of any tunnel in the world. Eurostar passenger trains and Le Shuttle vehicle-carrying trains both use it.
10. What is the width of 'standard gauge' railway track, used by most of the world's railways?
- 5 ft 0 in
- 4 ft 8½ in
- 5 ft 3 in
- 3 ft 6 in
Standard gauge measures 4 ft 8½ in (1,435 mm) between the inner faces of the rails. It was popularised by George Stephenson and now accounts for well over half of the world's railway lines. Its slightly odd measurement has roots in the wagonways and tramroads that pre-dated steam railways.
11. The world's first underground railway opened in 1863 in which city?
- Paris
- Berlin
- New York
- London
London's Metropolitan Railway opened in 1863 as the world's first underground passenger railway, running between Paddington and Farringdon. Early trains were hauled by steam locomotives, which made the tunnels notoriously smoky. The system grew into today's London Underground, nicknamed 'the Tube'.
12. The Flying Scotsman was the first steam locomotive officially recorded reaching what milestone speed in 1934?
- 90 mph
- 80 mph
- 100 mph
- 110 mph
In November 1934 the Flying Scotsman became the first steam locomotive to be officially authenticated at 100 mph. Designed by Sir Nigel Gresley for the LNER, it also worked the long-distance London-to-Edinburgh service that gave it its name. After a long career it was preserved and still runs on heritage outings today.
13. The Qinghai–Tibet Railway, the world's highest, climbs to a summit exceeding roughly what elevation?
- 6,000 m
- 5,000 m
- 3,000 m
- 4,000 m
The Qinghai–Tibet Railway reaches its highest point at the Tanggula Pass, over 5,000 m above sea level, making it the highest railway in the world. Carriages are supplied with extra oxygen to help passengers cope with the thin air. Much of the line was built on permafrost, requiring special engineering to keep the ground frozen.
14. The enormous 'Big Boy' steam locomotives were built for which American railroad?
- Pennsylvania Railroad
- Union Pacific
- Santa Fe
- Baltimore & Ohio
The Big Boy locomotives were built for Union Pacific in the 1940s to haul heavy freight over mountain grades. Among the largest steam locomotives ever made, each measured well over 40 m long including its tender. One example, No. 4014, was restored to working order and returned to steam in 2019.
15. The 24-arch Ribblehead Viaduct carries the scenic Settle–Carlisle line through which English region?
- Yorkshire Dales
- Lake District
- Snowdonia
- Peak District
The Ribblehead Viaduct, completed in the 1870s, strides across a remote valley in the Yorkshire Dales with 24 stone arches. It is the best-known feature of the Settle–Carlisle railway, one of Britain's most scenic lines. The line was threatened with closure in the 1980s but was saved after a public campaign.