Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1883-03-23
The Locomotive.

Mr.. John Patterson, the et1lclen
station agent of the c. d N. w. R'y
at Edmund, favors US with the fol
lowing contribution upon the early
history of the Locomotive. Mr.
Patterson knows whereof he writes
and his brief, but comprehensive
article will be found well worth tn,
reading:
EDITORS DEMOCRAT Having no
ticed in your late issues, articles OF
the Steam Engine, I viii here, witt
your approval, present to the readers
of your paper a few statistics and
facts pertaining to the Locomotive
Having served an apprenticeship
with Stephenson & Co., Locomotive
and Marine Engine Builders, of New
Castle-on-Tyne, 1 had there oppor.
tunities of acquiring information
pertaining to the Locomotive that
but few of your readers have.
The idea prevails to a certain ex-
tent that Geo. Stephenson was the
inventor Of the Locomotive. Such
however, is not in accordance with
the facts pertaining thereto.
The first Engine that travelled on
its own wheels was patented and
built by VIM. Murdoch in 1884, but
was never put to any practical use.
The second was built by Treveth-
wick, a Cornishman, in 1904, and
was tried near Penydanan, Wales,
on the 18th, of February of the
same year, William Richards, en-
gineer, the inventor and his partner
Rees Jones being on the Engine
during her trial trip; which was
made on a tramway leading from
back of the Plymouth Works to the
Docks. 1t was but partial success.
In the year 1911, a patent was
taken out by John Blenkinsopp for
an engine having a toothed-pinion,
to work in track laid by the side
of the roadway the design being to
prevent slipping on an incline.
Four engines were built of this
pattern, viz: the Salamanca, Prince
Regent, Lord Wellington, and the
Marquis Wellington. The first two
were used for a number of years, en-
ployed hauling coal from Middleton
collierv to Leeds, a distance of three
and one-half miles.
Hedley next appears in 1913 as a
locomotive inventor and builder,
building at Wylam for MIR. Blackett
three engines, viz: Putting Billy, the
Duchess, and Lady Mary; the last
named continuing to work up to
late period, and was taken to the
Kensington Museum in 1862.
Stephenson does not appear until
1914. On the 18th Of July of that
year he placed on the Killingworth
Railway all engine named Butcher,
which drew load of thirty tons
four miles per hour, on gradient
of / in 450, and was up to this time
the most successful engine built.
Up to 1922 Stephenson had built
five locomotives, and in 1926, on the
9th of September of that year he
furnished to the Stockton and OAR
lington Railway Co., the first Engine
that ever ran on a public line of rail-
way, the management of which was
entrusted to Mr.. Timothy Hack
worth. From 1925 to 1880 eleven
new Engines were added to the
company.
But on the opening of the Liver
pool & Manchester Railway in Oct.
1929, four engines appeared to COM
pete for prize of $500 to be award
ed to the most successful, and were
entered and named as follows: The
Rocket, by Stephenson; Braith-
waite and Erickson, the Novelty;
Hackworth, the Sanspareil; and
Bunstall, the Perseverance. The
trial took place at Rainhill on the
Sth of Oct. 1929; but the first COM
plete trip from Liverpool to Man
chester was not made until June
18th, 1880. GRANGER.
Continued next week.