Jesika (@jesika2) asked me if Stephenson's 'Rocket' is still in the railway museum in York. Yes it is, and it is there on a long term basis. I haven't been to the museum for some months, but looking back through the archive I found these shots of 'Rocket'. Some were taken at the railway museum in York, while others were taken at the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester.
'Rocket' was built in 1829 for a competition to see if steam locomotives could operate the Liverpool to Manchester railway which was under construction, or if rope haulage and stationary steam engines would be better.
'Rocket' was designed by Robert Stephenson in 1829, and built at the Forth Street Works of his company in Newcastle upon Tyne.
Though 'Rocket' was not the first steam locomotive, it was the first to bring together several innovations to produce the most advanced locomotive of its day. It is the most famous example of an evolving design of locomotives by Stephenson that became the template for most steam engines in the following 150 years.
'Rocket' won the Rainhill Trials convincingly, and Robert Stephenson got a contract to provide more locomotives of a simular design for the opening of the Liverpool and Manchester railway in 1830. They provided the power to operate the first 'inter city' railway in the world.
The current display shows a much changed locomotive from the original design, with for example the cylinsers at a much lower angle than originally built. The original tender has not survived.
There are also two replica copies of the 'Rocket' at the railway museum, a cut-away version from 1935 which reveals some of the inner workings, and a working replica built in 1980 to mark the 150th anniversary of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway.
Thanks for sharing
Thank you all for your lovely comments and favs, they are very much appreciated.
It is quite remarkable that so much of this historical machine has survived.
@pyrrhula - I love your steam locomotive, it is a marvelous piece of work!
@onewing - some years ago, Katharine made a model of the Rocket from an Airfix construction kit!
Ian