As early as 1784 William Symington had conceived a land carriage propelled by a steam engine. In 1786, he demonstrated a model vehicle powered by a small engine on the turnpike road near Leadhills. [1] The model was also demonstrated in Edinburgh. [2]

William Symington was a student at Edinburgh University in 1786 when the model was exhibited at the home of his sponsor Gilbert Meason, the managing partner in the Wanlockhead mines. [3] Meason resided in St. Andrew’s Square where he had several illustrious and influential neighbours, including Lady Dumfries. William and his brother George Symington formed an enterprise with John Taylor, an overseer of the Wanlockhead mines, to advertise the invention with a view towards marketing the steam carriage. 

The invention was announced in the Edinburgh Evening Courant, 12 July, 1786 as “one of the most capital discoveries of the age”: [4]

Extract of a letter from Dumfries, July 11.

 "It is with pleasure that we inform the public, that George and William Symington, engineers to the Wanlockhead Lead Mines, in this county, have lately invented a curious machine, on approved principles, that will be moft generally ufeful, and may be considered as one of the most capital difcoveries of the age:- it is conftructing on four wheels, and will be moved in any direction, with great velocity by the power of a fmall fteam engine. The model, now making, which is nearly finifhed, is intended to carry fixteen hundred weight, befides the neceffary appatatus, with coals, water, &c. Five pence worth of coals will serve it twenty-four hours, and the velocity will be ten miles in an hour. -If this machine is brought into general ufe, it will certainly reduce the expence of land carriage to a mere trifle, and will render canals quite unnecessary-His Majefty's Patent has already been fecured for the inventors and there is no doubt that their ingenuity will be amply rewarded."

William Symington detailed their invention in a letter to Thomas Gilbert, Esq., M.P. which was to be delivered to him at the Post Office, Manchester, [5] and dated Wanlockhd, 24th Septr. 1786 [6]

“Mr Gilbert—Sir,—In consequence of my promise of writing you concerning our steam-carriage, I have taken the first opportunity to do it. When I had the pleasure of seeing you, I described the manner of its working, I hope, to your satisfaction; with regard to the weight of the carriage, it must depend greatly on the size of the engine. A carriage proportioned to an engine whose cylinder is in length four feet and diameter twenty inches, and calculated to run at the rate of ten miles in one hour, and carry 100 stones burden, upon any road on which there is no ascent exceeding one foot in twelve, including coals to serve 12 hours, which will be 30 st. am., and water to serve 3 [30?] miles: the weight of the two managers, and every other apparatus, will weight nearly 170 stones, amst. If a road in any place exceeds one foot in twelve of ascent, the managers, by slowing the motion of the carrg., which they can easily do in a short time, will increase the power in proportion, and by that means enable it to ascend any piece of road accessible by other carriages, and when the increased ascent is got over, the former motion of the carriage can easily be restored. The carriage runs on four wheels and can turn a circle of 30 feet diamr. When the carriage comes down a hill of any considerable descent, the motion will not be increased by its own gravity, and it can easily be stopt when the manager thinks proper. On descending roads, the engine will use but little water, as a few strocks of it will be necessary to carry the carriage on for a considerable way. On ascending roads there will be no danger of the carriage running back. Allowing an accident to hapen the engine, as the wheels at the back end of the carriage can only move in one direction; and, as near as we can estimate, the expence of the carriage and engine will amount to about seventy pounds. But an engine of the same power and apparatus for working boats on canals will only cost about fifty pounds sterling, and will only weight 110 stones; each strock of the engine will have a force equall to 160 st. weight when applied, which undoubtedly will be able to drag a great weight upon water, when we run the proportion between it and what a man can do in a boat with common oars, whose exertion does not exceed more than 7 stones; but this you will be a better judge than we. The engine we propose for working the land carriage is Mr Watt’s, with some very material alterations; and, before we can use it we must make an agreement with him, which we intend to propose immediately. But the engine we propose to work boats or ships with is an engine entirely of our invention, and more powerful and better adapted for the purpose than Mr Watt’s engine - this engine of our own we have presently at worke here is a large moddle, by which we have properly ascertained its power, and found it to exceed Mr Watt’s engine nearly two pounds upon each sqr. inch on the piston, without any greater consumpt of coals; another advantage attending our engine is its being little more complicated than the old engine, which works with an atmospheric pressure. We are to use our endeavours immediately for a patent for this engine, as well as our carriage. Your assistance when we get application made, will be of great service to us, and thankfully received by, Sir.

“P.S.—If there is anything farther you would wish to be informed of, please let us know, and we will be happy to communicate every information in our power.

"WILLIAM SYMINGTON

An article appeared in the  30 June 1853 edition of the Fife Herald which was headed “INVENTION OF STEAM NAVIGATION. DISCOVERY OF ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS ESTABLISHING THE CLAIM OF THE LATE WILLIAM SYMINGTON, C.E.” The author of the article, who is identified only by his initials "J.W.", cites manuscripts "lately discovered by Mr Stewart, the present manager of the Wanlockhead Mines.” Four letters had been found amongst other old papers connected with the mines which were written in the hand of Mr John Taylor, former manager of the mines and reported in the article as follows: "Mr Symington, having patented a steam-engine of his own construction, admitted his brother George and the manager of the mines into company with him, for services each was able to render him in his respective sphere, and hence the letters written by the latter." These documents  were subsequently quoted also by J. and W. H. Rankine in their 1862 biography of William Symington.

The first letter, dated September 8, 1786, was addressed to Mr John Henry Pottgeisser of Coblence, Holland, described the steam carriage model, and asks what encouragement might be met with there, were one of them to go over to that country and carry out the invention. The second, dated 11th September 1786, was a reply to a communication from John Beaumont, Esq., Boghall, near Ayr, likewise regarding the steam carriage. John Beaumont was an Ayrshire coal mine manager and inventor with an interest in powered vehicles. In 1788 he patented a machine for raising coals from mines.[7] The third, dated September 24, 1786, was addressed to “Thomas Gilbert, Esq., M.P., to be left at the Post-office, Manchester” (vide supra). The fourth letter, which was undated, was addressed to Mr Meason. and evidently had been written shortly after the one sent to Mr Gilbert, as the writer spoke of having recently met with that gentleman. "J.W." quoted a few sentences from that letter: “Mr Meason—Sir— In your letter to us you observe, there is an engine in the neighbourhood of Edinburgh, which you think very like Mr Symington’s engine; but, since it is not equal to Mr Watt’s, it cannot be the same with ours. William completed the model on Friday last, and set it to work, and found it far surpass his greatest expectations ....  At Lady Dumfries’s desire, I met a Mr Gilbert as he passed to England. He is a Member of Parliament. He wanted much to be informed concerning the steam carriage, and from what I told him of its power, he said it would be a great affair for the Duke of Bridgewater on his canals.”

A lawyer and Member of Parliament, Thomas Gilbert c.1719-1798 was the husband of Mary Craufurd, only daughter of Lieut. Col. George Craufurd and first cousin of the Countess of Dumfries. He was the chief legal advisor general land agent and friend to the Duke of Bridgewater.

The model land carriage was an immediate precursor to William Symington’s first steamboat experiments on the Dalswinton Lake in 1787. The model may have been powered by his 1787 patent engine but no original drawing exists and the model has been lost. The earliest surviving depiction of Symington’s land carriage is a later engraving published in the Mechanics’ Magazine in 1832 which was inserted by his son William (1802-1867). [8] This concoction features an amalgam of a horizontal double-acting Watt engine, not a Symington patent engine, and a chain and ratchet drive mechanism, as described in his 1787 patent and employed in the Dalswinton steamboat. William Symington describes a ratchet wheel drive mechanism in his Petition to Treasury of 4th November 1825.  The engine pictured was not contemporary with the 1786 steam carriage but was in keeping with his design patented in 1802. He had first explored the use of a horizontal engine in his steamboat experiments in 1801, as exemplified in the model demonstrated at the Royal Institution in 1802. However, in that model, the cylinder was inclined in a cradle on the deck; a horizontal engine was employed in the Charlotte Dundas of 1803. 

[1] The Falkirk Herald Thursday 28 January 1869

[2] See his Petition to Treasury.

[3] Rankine, J. and W.H., Biography of William Symington etc. 1862 Page 50

[4] No. 10,683, page 3, column 1; also Northampton Mercury 22 July 1786 page 2

[5] Thomas Gilbert was personal assistant, chief legal advisor, general land agent and friend to the Duke of Bridgewater.

[6] Letter from William Symington “To Thomas Gilbert, Esq., M. P., “To be left at the Post Office, Manchester.” Reproduced in The Official Descriptive and Illustrated Catalogue of the Great Exhibition, 1851. Volume IV; Supplement. pages 1472-1473 in an article contributed by W.C. Aitken of Birmingham on the origins of steam navigation; also recorded (with changes to spelling and punctuation, and attributed to George Symington) in Rankine, R. and W.H., Biography of William Symington Falkirk 1862 pages 53-55

[7] The Antiquary Volume 32 1896 page 358

[8] See section on William Symington (1802-1867)

WM. SYMINGTON’S STEAM-CARRIAGE EXPERIMENTS, 1784-86.    Page 34

     Sir,- The drawing now sent represents the model of a steam-carriage, which was invented by my father in 1784, and was exhibited by him to the Professors of the University, and other scientific gentlemen in Edinburgh, in 1786.

     The opinion entertained of the practicability of the invention was so favourable, that my father was warmly urged to bring his experiments into practice; and the late Gilbert Meason, Esq., who always proved his patron, liberally offered to defray any expenses which might be incurred.

     The state of the roads, and the difficulty which, at that time, would have existed of procuring water and fuel, afforded sufficient reasons to induce my father to abandon an attempt, which, through these causes, he believed, would only have produced disappointment to his kind advisers.

     Whilst engaged with this model, the idea occurred to him, that upon the same principles vessels might be propelled on water by the power of steam; an idea, the correctness of which was fully proved by the exemplification afforded, in 1788, on Dalswinton Lake, of which exemplification a sketch will be furnished as soon as time will permit.  

     Feeling obliged by your prompt attention to my former communication,

I remain, Sir,

Your most obedient servant,

WM. SYMINGTON.

Bromley, Sept. 24.

Description of Engraving.

     A, the drum, fixed upon the hind-axle. B, tooth and ratchet wheels, C, rackrods, one on each side of the drum, the alternate action of which, upon the tooth and ratchet wheels, produces the rotary motion. D, cylinder. E, boiler, supplied from condenser. FF, direction-pulleys. G, condenser. H, steam-pipe. I, water-tank. J, eduction-pipe.

     A material advantage obtained by the mode here employed, of applying the power of the engine, is its always acting at a right angle upon the axle of the carriage.

As late as 1829, William Symington continued to demonstrate his original model steam carriage which he built in 1786:

Western Times (Exeter) Saturday 21 February 1829 page 3

The Falkirk, Carron and Grahamston Mechanics’ Institution, says a correspondent, were upon Friday last much gratified by the first of series of lectures from Mr. William Symington, civil engineer, and the celebrated claimant for the discovery steam navigation. Mr. Symington exhibited and explained the model of the original carriage driven by steam, which he invented and submitted to the Professors of the Edinburgh University in the year 1787, when but a mere boy. It is well known that this coach suggested the idea of steam-boats, which Mr. Symington in conjunction with Mr. Millar, of Dalswinton, first put in actual movement. The hall was quite crowded, and marked attention seemed to value what was communicated, which no doubt must continue the spirited perseverance of that mechanics’ institution. —Scotsman.

John Symington, grandson of the Inventor, wrote about an eye-witness account in a letter to the Falkirk Herald dated Muirkirk,  25th January 1869: [1]

William Symington had shown to the world a steam engine running on the turnpike road at Wanlockhead, Dumfriesshire, in the year 1786, he being employed by the Marquis of Bute and Mr Mason, that time fitting up a water engine for the works there… 

I have had the pleasure of talking to an old man, named John Black, who was employed by Symington in putting up the water engine. He told he was on the small engine when first run on the road. 

[1]The Falkirk Herald Thursday 28 January 1869 

William Symington's concept for a steam driven land carriage dated back to about 1784. At the same time, William Murdoch was building his first model of a steam carriage. [1] In 1779 Murdoch had worked on a pumping  engine at Wanlockhead with George Symington and no doubt they would have discussed the  application of steam engines to the propulsion of carriages. Boulton and Watt became aware of Murdoch's experiments when he was in their employment and Watt knew of the Symington brothers' land carriage which was reported in the press in 1786. Watt was dismissive of their efforts yet he attempted to patent the idea of a steam carriage himself. Ultimately it was Richard Trevithick who built the first locomotive to run on a track. 

[1] Griffiths, John, The Third Man The Life and Times of William Murdoch 1754-1839 1992 

NOTES ON THE ORIGINS OF STEAM CARRIAGES IN BRITAIN 

ERASMUS DARWIN 1731-1802

Corresponding with Matthew Boulton in 1765, Erasmus Darwin detailed his proposal for a steam carriage: (*Check Reference)

“As I was riding Home yesterday, I consid’d the scheme of ye fiery Chariot-and ye longer I contemplated this favourite Idea, ye practicable it appear’d to me.”

Darwin’s chariot was a crude concept involving a two-cylinder beam engine which drove the wheels by cords attached to the ends of the beam and which wound and unwound around the rear axle. [1]

[1] Matthew Boulton, Darwin 6. The letters, pages 27-31 Birmingham Central Library

WILLIAM MURDOCH 1754-1839

William Murdoch was a highly ingenious mechanic and inventor who was employed by Boulton and Watt as an engine erector. [1] In March 1779, he was sent to supervise the work on the engine at Wanlockhead which was being built by George Symington.

Murdoch had built a working model steam carriage in 1784. [2] This prompted Watt to include the propulsion of a steam carriage in his own 1784 patent which related primarily to parallel motion.

The first reference to Murdoch’s steam carriage in the Boulton and Watt papers is in a letter from Thomas Wilson (Boulton and Watt’s agent in Cornwall) to James Watt dated 7 March 1784: [3]

“He has mentioned to me a new scheme which you may be assured he is very intent upon, but which he is afraid of mentioning to you for fear of you laughing at him, it is no less than drawing carriages upon the road with steam engines.”

Thomas Wilson to Watt 9 August 1786: “Wm. Murdock desires me to inform you that he has made a small engine ¾ dia. & 1½ inch stroke that he has applied to a small carriage which answers amazingly” [4]

Murdoch had intended to patent his invention.

Boulton then intercepted Murdoch as he travelled from Exeter to London with his model:

(Boulton to Watt 2 September 1786) [5] “He said he was going to London to get Men but I soon found he was going there with his Steam Carg to shew it & to take out a patent. He having been told by Mr W. Wilkn what Sadler had said & he had likewise read in the news paper Simmingtons puff which had rekindled all Wms fire & impations to make Steam Carriages. However I prevaild upon him readily to return to Cornwall by the next days diligence & he accordingly arrived here this day at noon, since which he has unpacked his Carg & made Travil a Mile or two in River’s great room in a Circle making it carry the fire Shovel, poker & tongs.”

A Murdoch model road carriage is on display in the Birmingham ThinkTank Science Museum. His model of a steam "locomotive" which he built in 1785 was displayed by James Watt & Co. at the Great Exhibition of 1851. [6] 

JAMES WATT

Watt was ever dismissive of the concept of employing steam to power land carriages but attempted to appropriate the idea as his own. 

In 1784, Boulton wrote to Watt revealing William Murdoch’s concept for steam propelled Wheel Carriages [7]

In private correspondence, Boulton referred to Murdoch as "Brown". On 6 August 1784, Boulton wrote to Watt "I have had a little conversation with Brown about wheel cargs. He proposes to catch most of the condensed Steam by makeing it strike against broad thin Copper plates & the condensed part trickeling down may be caught & returned into its Boiler or other reservoir.” Boulton mentions also that Murdoch's father had a wheel carriage in Scotland which moved without horses. Furthermore, he urged Watt to include reference to a steam carriage in a patent application which was already in preparation: “New improvements upon steam engines.”

“Now as you are going to specify sundry new applications of Steam Engines Qr. if it may not be prudent to specify the application of it to Wl cargs without making any drawing.” Watt’s application dealt particularly with a system of “parallel motion” to maintain the piston rod perpendicular without using racks, chains or guides. On receiving Boulton’s recommendation,Watt tacked on a cursory description of the potential application to wheel carriages “to keep other people from similar patents.” (Patent 1,432 New improvements upon steam engines – three bar motion and steam carriage. CERTAIN NEW IMPROVEMENTS UPON FIRE AND STEAM ENGINES AND UPON MACHINES WORKED OR MOVED BY THE SAME And Headed “My Seventh Improvement” The specification was enrolled on 25 August 1784)

Watt wrote to Boulton 17 August 1784, confirming that he had done as Boulton had asked: [8]

“I have given such descriptions of engines for wheel carriages as I could in the time and space I could allow myself; but it is very defective and can only serve to keep other people from similar patents.

Rotative motion of the engine was to be transmitted to the wheels through a system of toothed wheels fixed to the drive axle. Watt provided no drawings with the patent application to clarify his concept but he sent a feeble effort, a crude and impractical sketch of a steam carriage to Boulton on 27 August 1784. [9]  

Watt himself made no useful contribution to steam transport and his patents served to hamper William Symington's experiments in Steam navigation and delayed the introduction of steam locomotion.

Watt's omnibus patent of 1784 included the application of a double-acting engine to the propulsion of wheeled carriages –to deter Murdoch and others from experimenting with steam carriages:

No. 1,432 New improvements upon steam engines – three bar motion and steam carriage. The specification was enrolled on 25 August 1784.

In August 1786, Joseph Black informed Watt about Symington’s steam carriage which had been demonstrated in Edinburgh. [10] In an undated letter and unsigned endorsed in Watt’s hand “August 1786,” Joseph Black enquired about Watt’s intention to build a steam wagon:

“In the end of April last I had the pleasure to see two of your men very good like lads who called on me at your desire. One of them talked a little of your haveing a Scheme among you for makeing waggons travel by means of your Engine. Are you serious in such a design? Some of Gilbt Measons men have been working at it and have made a small model but I have not such an opinion of their heads as to have much curiosity to see their model. it is reported they have taken a patent for it” [11]

Watt’s canny response was:

“You know I have long had plans of Moving Wheel Carriages by Steam and have even described them in one of my patents some years ago- I believe I shall make some experiments on them soon but have small hopes of them ever becoming usefull-” 

On 9 August 1786, Thomas Wilson, financial agent to Boulton And Watt in Cornwall, wrote to Watt "Wm. Murdock [12] desires me to inform you that he has made a small engine ¾ dia. & 1 ½ inch stroke that he has applied to a small carriage which answers amazingly."

Letter from Watt to Boulton 12 September 1786 (In response to Boulton 2 September, see above):

I am extreamly sorry that W. M. still busys himself with the Stm Carriage

… I have still the same opinions concerning it that I had, but to prevent as much as possible more fruitless argument about it, I have one of some size under hand & am resolved if God will work a miracle in favour of these carriages. [13]

… In the meantime I wish W. could be brought to do as we do, to mind the business in hand, & let such as Symn and Sadr throw away their time and money hunting shadows.

Boulton and Watt spell the surname as "Murdock".  In his baptismal record the spelling of the surname is Murdoch and he signed his name "Murdoch" as a young man. Whether he ever changed the spelling is questionable. See Griffiths vide infra.

[1] Griffiths, John, The Third Man The Life and Times of William Murdoch 1754-1839 1992 

[2] Evans, F. T., Trans. Newcomen Soc. 70, 5 (1998–99).     (*Check this)

[3] Griffiths, John, The Third Man The Life and Times of William Murdoch page 142

[4] Dickinson, H. W. & Jenkins, R., James Watt and the Steam Engine 1927 page 293

[5] Boulton & Watt Collection

[6] Ellis, Robert, Official Descriptive and Illustrated Catalogue of the Great Exhibition 1851, page 211

[7] Dickinson, H. W. & Jenkins, R., James Watt and the Steam Engine 1927 page 293

[8] Griffiths, John, The Third Man The Life and Times of William Murdoch pages 149, 150

[9] Pictured in Griffiths, John, The Third Man The Life and Times of William Murdoch 

[10] B&W Collection BRL

[11] Quoted in Robinson, Eric and McKie, Douglas, Editors, Partners in Science James Watt & Joseph Black Constable London 1970 page 155

[12] Boulton and Watt spell the surname as "Murdock".  In his baptismal record the spelling of the surname is Murdoch and he signed his name "Murdoch" as a young man. Whether he ever changed the spelling to the Anglicised version is questionable. 

[13] Quoted in Dickinson, H. W., James Watt Craftsman & Engineer Babcock & Wilcox, Ltd 1935 page 140

RICHARD TREVITHICK 1771-1833 [1]

Trevithick is widely regarded as the originator of the steam locomotive. He was a brilliant mechanic and inventor in his own right, yet he stood on the shoulders of William Murdoch. 

Note the biography by Dickinson, H. W. and Titley, A., Richard Trevithick The Engineer and the Man Trevithick Centenary Celebration Memorial Volume Cambridge 1934. 

Trevithick devised compact engines which employed steam under high pressure and dispensed with the need for a condenser and air pump; his boilers were capable of withstanding high pressures.

He had been well aware of William Murdoch’s road carriage experiments. In the late 1790’s they were near neighbours in Redruth, Cornwall.

Seeking information about Murdoch’s experiments, Trevithick wrote to his friend Davies Giddy on October 1st 1803 “I had desired Captain A. Vivian to wait on you to give you every information respecting Murdoch’s carriage, whether the large one at Mr Budge’s foundry was to be a condensing engine or not.”[1]

Murdoch’s son John wrote to James Watt junior on 31st May, 1815: “The model of the wheel carriage was made in 1792 & was then shewn to many of the inhabitants of Redruth - about two years after Trevithick & A. Vivian called at my father’s house in Redruth to consult him about removing an engine….My father mentions this circumstance to bring to their recollection that on that day they asked him to shew them the model of the wheel carriage engine which worked with strong steam & no vacuum. This was immediately shewn them in a working state.” [2]

Trevithick’s son claimed he first produced a model road locomotive in about 1796. [3]

1801 ROAD CARRIAGE TRIAL 

The celebrated demonstration of Trevithick’s first steam road carriage at Beacon Hill, Camborne at Christmas 1801 is well documented. [4]

In 1802 he took out a patent, with his cousin Andrew Vivian, for a high pressure steam engine for stationary and locomotive use.

The “Coalbrookdale Locomotive” of 1802 was the first portable engine to run on rails. Reference

Patent Specification: Patent 2599 STEAM ENGINES Improvements in the construction thereof and Application thereof for driving Carriages, 26 March 1802 [5]

A steam carriage was assembled to this design in 1803 and was run on the roads of London. (Dickinson and Titley page 57)

TREVITHICK’S “TRAM WAGGON”

In 1804 Trevithick built the first steam locomotive to run on a track.

On 21 February 1804, the Trevithick locomotive ran 9 miles on a tramway from the ironworks at Penydarren to the Merthyr-Cardiff Canal. Reference

LETTER FROM TREVITHICK TO HIS ASSOCIATE DAVIES GIDDY 15 February 1804 [6]

Pennydarran, Feby 15.1804

Mr Giddy 

Sir

Last saturday we lighted the fire in the Tram Waggon and workd it without the wheels to try the engine, and monday we put it on the Tram Road it workd very well and ran up hill and down with great ease, and very managable we have plenty of steam and power I expect to work it again tomorrow Mr Homfray and the Gentleman I mentioned in my last will be home tomorrow the bet will not be determed untill the middle  of next Week at which time I shod be very happy to see you I shall go down to Cornwal abt the end of next week or the beginning of the week after

I am Sir your very Hb Snt

Richard Trevithick

THE TRIAL AT PENYDARREN TRAMWAY

The Royal Cornwall Gazette Saturday 3 March 1804 page 4

STEAM ENGINE CART: 

The long-talked-of plan of applying the power of steam to wheel carriages, appears to have at length succeeded to the wishes of the ingenious Mr. Trevithick, the projector, and the lovers the arts in general. A trial was made, last week, in Wales, of a Steam Cart, contracted for a Mr. Humphrey. Four other carts, which it was to take in lead, with that in which the power of steam was applied, were calculated take seven tons; and a bet of five hundred pounds being dependant on it, a considerable concourse of people attended see it tried; when it moved with ten tons, and seventy men riding on the different carts; and proceeded nine miles on a rail road, to the place of its destination. It performed its journey in two hours; and had it not been for the many obstructions it met with in its way, from large stones and trees lying across the road, from the late storm, it would have performed its journey much sooner. The spectators were much satisfied with its performance, and convinced that it was quite adequate to answer the purpose for which was designed. Indeed it much exceeded the expectations of the patentee; in consequence of which he received many orders; and the gentleman who betted against it, cheerfully paid his money. It is somewhat premature to form any conjectures to which useful a machine may be applied; as it was discovered in the progress of its journey, that it could maintain its course when off the rail road, as it was many times thrown out of its tract, which it easily resumed, and experienced no delay from travelling a considerable space before it could regain its former station. In its route it ascended and descended many ascents and declivities; some of which exceeded an inch and half in a yard. We are happy to be enabled to give a correct account of our countryman’s success in this new and wonderful discovery, especially as we understand it has met with much opposition from many rival mechanics.

GEORGE STEVENSON

1825 Stevenson's Locomotion No.1 operated on the Stockton and Darlington railway, the first passenger railway service.

[1] Griffiths, John, The Third Man The Life and Times of William Murdoch page 164

[2] Dickinson, H. W. & Jenkins, R., James Watt and the Steam Engine 1927 page 294

[3] Trevithick, Francis, Life of Richard Trevithick With an Account of his Inventions 1872

[4] Diary of Davies Gibby 23 and 28 December 1801 (quoted by A. C. Todd, Beyond The Blaze A biography of Davies Gilbert Truro 1967) ?in Cornwall Record Office Davies Giddy Archive DG17

[5] NA Kew C73/22/2

[6] Letter reproduced in Dickinson, H. W. and Titley, A., Richard Trevithick The Engineer and the Man Trevithick Centenary Celebration Memorial Volume Cambridge 1934, opposite page 63 (In the Enys Family Archive, Cornwall Record Office)