When the railway pioneers chose to build a line to Brighton, it was already the most popular seaside resort in the country with 2,000 visitors a week.
And those running the town had been pushing to join the railway revolution with increasing zeal.
After three years of work the first train arrived in 1841.
Journey times were an hour and three quarters. This was much faster than the limited alternatives.
Visitor numbers soared. Commuting became possible. And the population boomed. While the poor were with us then, and remain so today, the coming of the railway brought more widespread wealth.
Today Brighton and Hove is once again at a pivotal point in its history. The city is expected to bid for up to £10 million to fund a big expansion of ultrafast broadband.
Brighton was among the first places in Britain to latch on to the potential of the internet in the early 1990s. And it has won a reputation as a digital city.
It now needs to upgrade the infrastructure to match its reputation and ambitions.
If a bid by Brighton and Hove City Council succeeds, the government is likely to award between £5 million and £10 million, matched by a similar sum from the likes of BT or Virgin.
It would mean more free wi-fi in public places. Smartphones would download information more quickly. And individuals and businesses in the growing digital, media and creative sector would be among the many to benefit.
Ultrafast broadband offers operating speeds of at least 80 megabits per second (mbps) – three times quicker than widely available superfast broadband.
Council leader Jason Kitcat said: “A key strength of our economy is creative and digital media industries. But to maintain and grow this we must develop a world-class IT infrastructure.
“That means the fastest possible internet connections and making these available more widely, including to people on the move.
“Spending a relatively small sum on this bid could reap massive returns in government and private sector investment and, ultimately, in jobs.”
Wired Sussex, a key player in the digital sector, is helping the council with its application. The council expects the cost of bidding to be about £150,000.
An earlier bid failed, with the money going to bigger cities. It prompted a campaign to help places such as Brighton which were geared up but missed out.
