Talk:1812 in rail transport

June 24: public presentation of locomotive?

1812 - Matthew Murray / John Blenkinsop John Blenkinsop the manager of Middleton Colliery, Leeds decided to try using steam locomotives, which used a fuel readily available on site, to haul the coal from the colliery by railway into Leeds. He instructed Matthew Murray (1765-1826) of Fenton, Murray and Wood based in Water Lane, Leeds to construct a locomotive. The first locomotive built appeared in public on 24th June 1812. It is thought to have been named Prince Regent. There seems to have been a formal inauguration of steam traction on 12th August 1812 when a second locomotive was introduced. It was named Salamanca. Two further locomotives were built to work another portion of the railway. The first was named Lord Wellington and was delivered on 4th August 1813. The fourth locomotive was delivered on 23rd November 1814 and seems to have been known as Marquis Wellington. The locomotives cost £380 each, which included a royalty of £30 to Trevithick for his patent rights. Trevithick’s influence in the design is evident in the use of cocks to distribute the steam instead of using the more modern slide valves, which had been patented by Matthew Murray (28th June 1802). http://www.locos-in-profile.co.uk/Articles/Early_Locos/early2.html

Error is name 1st locomotive?, see 2nd acticle mentioning Salamanca as 2nd locomotive:

The Salamanca (named after a battle in the Peninsular War) locomotive, with its cog-toothed driving wheels, first appeared in public on 24th June, 1812. The locomotive had two vertical cylinders within the top of the boiler, and the pistons drove the rack wheels through rods and pinions. The locomotive weighed 5 tons and on a level track was capable of hauling a load of 90 tons at 4 mph. The locomotive was a great success and together [Matthew Murray and John Blenkinsop] they built three more. http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/RAmurray.htm

Murray’s locomotive ‘Salamanca’. George Walker, 1814. In 1811, Murray was employed at the Middleton Colliery, Leeds, to produce 'certain mechanical means for the conveyance of coals, minerals, and other articles'. Murray designed four locomotives for the Colliery. Although they were expensive, and heavy wear appeared between the driving gear wheel and rack, they were the first commercially successful steam locomotives. Four machines replaced 50 horses and 200 men at the Colliery. This is the first ever painting of a locomotive. It shows the Salamanca, the second from four Murray’s locomotives. http://www.birminghamstories.co.uk/story_page.php?id=12&type=fo&page=2&now=267

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August 12: inauguration of steam traction?

1812 - Matthew Murray / John Blenkinsop John Blenkinsop the manager of Middleton Colliery, Leeds decided to try using steam locomotives, which used a fuel readily available on site, to haul the coal from the colliery by railway into Leeds. He instructed Matthew Murray (1765-1826) of Fenton, Murray and Wood based in Water Lane, Leeds to construct a locomotive. The first locomotive built appeared in public on 24th June 1812. It is thought to have been named Prince Regent. There seems to have been a formal inauguration of steam traction on 12th August 1812 when a second locomotive was introduced. It was named Salamanca. Two further locomotives were built to work another portion of the railway. The first was named Lord Wellington and was delivered on 4th August 1813. The fourth locomotive was delivered on 23rd November 1814 and seems to have been known as Marquis Wellington. The locomotives cost £380 each, which included a royalty of £30 to Trevithick for his patent rights. Trevithick’s influence in the design is evident in the use of cocks to distribute the steam instead of using the more modern slide valves, which had been patented by Matthew Murray (28th June 1802). http://www.locos-in-profile.co.uk/Articles/Early_Locos/early2.html

La traction à vapeur a été inaugurée le 12 août 1812 sur le Middleton Railways dans le Yorkshire. Il s'agissait de locomotives pour rails à crémaillère remorquant des wagonnets de charbon. Les locomotives avaient été construites par Matthew Murray (1765-1826) et John Blenkinsop. http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Locomotive_%C3%A0_vapeur

In 1811 a Mr. Blankensop, of Leeds, took out a patent for a machine and rail adapted to each other: a rack or toothed rail was to be laid down along one side of the track, into which a tooth- wheel of his locomotive worked. The boiler of his engine was supported by a carriage upon four wheels without teeth, and resting immediately on the axles. These were entirely independent of the working-parts of the engine, and merely supported its weight, the progress being effected by the motion of the cogged wheels working on the cogged rail. This engine began running on the railroad from the Middleton collieries to the town of Leeds, about three and a quarter miles, on the 12th of August, 1812. For a number of years it was a permanent object of curiosity, and was visited by crowds of strangers from all parts. These engines (for several were afterward constructed) drew after them thirty coal-cars, loaded, at a speed of three and a quarter miles per hour, and were in use for many years, and may justly be considered as the first instance of the employment of locomotive power for commercial purposes. http://www.history.rochester.edu/steam/brown/chpt6.html

Wdew 19:42, 23 October 2006 (UTC)