Early attempts at steam locomotives in the late 1700s and early 1800s struggled with breakdowns and weak power. Richard Trevithick built the first steam locomotive to run on rails in 1804, pulling 10 tons of iron but breaking down after 100 yards. John Blenkinsop's 1811 design added extra wheels with cogs for better grip. "Puffing Billy" built in 1813 hauled coal in Northumberland for 50 years. The Liverpool to Manchester Railway competition in 1829 was won by George Stephenson, launching the railway mania era of the 1830s-40s when Britain's rail network expanded rapidly.