In 1822 William James began to make plans for a railway between Canterbury and Whitstable. However, James went bankrupt in 1824 and it was not until 1830 that the line opened. Most of the six miles were laid out as cable-operated inclined planes. Robert Stephenson supplied the locomotive, Invicta, to operate over the one and a quarter miles of level track at Whitstable. When it was opened on 3rd May, 1830, the Invicta became the first steam locomotive in the world to haul regular passenger trains.