to ine ▁Be a un ier ▁in ▁ 1 8 2 3 . ▁ ▁E igh teen ▁kilom eters ▁long ▁and ▁opened ▁on ▁ 3 0 ▁June ▁ 1 8 2 7 ▁to ▁transport ▁coal ▁from ▁the ▁Fore z ▁mines ▁to ▁the ▁River ▁Lo ire , ▁it ▁marked ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁the ▁expansion ▁of ▁the ▁railway ▁in ▁France . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁railway ▁con cess ion ▁in ▁France ▁▁▁ ▁At ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁First ▁French ▁Empire ▁and ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁the ▁Bour bon ▁Rest oration , ▁the ▁min ing ▁bas in ▁of ▁the ▁Lo ire ▁was ▁the ▁largest ▁in ▁France ; ▁Saint - Ét ienne ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁largest ▁cities , ▁but ▁the ▁existing ▁communication ▁was ▁not ▁sufficient ▁to ▁meet ▁industrial ▁and ▁min ing ▁needs . ▁. ▁ ▁Two ▁local ▁engine ers , ▁Louis ▁de ▁Gal lo is ▁and ▁Louis - An to ine ▁Be a un ier , ▁after ▁a ▁study ▁trip ▁to ▁England , ▁concluded ▁the ▁necessity ▁of ▁a ▁railway . ▁. ▁ ▁On ▁ 5 ▁May ▁ 1 8 2 1 , ▁Be a un ier ▁combined ▁with ▁financi ers ▁having ▁interests ▁in ▁the ▁region ▁to ▁demand ▁the ▁grant ing ▁of ▁a ▁railway ▁from ▁Saint - E t ienne ▁to ▁André zie ux , ▁about ▁ 2 3 ▁kilometres ▁long . ▁ ▁By ▁royal ▁dec ree ▁of ▁ 2 5 ▁February ▁ 1 8 2 3 , ▁MM . ▁de ▁L ur - Sal u ces ▁and ▁others ▁were ▁allowed , ▁under ▁the ▁title ▁of ▁the ▁rail