Stephenson's Rocket

Stephenson's Rocket was an early steam-powered railroad locomotive, built by George and Robert Stephenson in 1829.

A common misconception is that the Rocket was the first steam locomotive. In fact the first steam locomotive to run on tracks was built by Richard Trevithick 25 years earlier, but was not financially successful. George Stephenson, as well as a number of other engineers, had built steam locomotives before. Rocket was an evolution, not a revolution.

What marks the Rocket out, is that it was the first of the 'modern' locomotives, as it used a multi-tubular boiler, which made the engine much more efficient. Previous boilers consisted of a single pipe surrounded by water. Other innovations included in the design were such things as venting the exhaust steam up the chimney to pull fresh air into the fire - increasing the heat of the fire and the pressure in the boiler, making the Rocket quicker.

The design of the Rocket was revolutionary, and nearly all steam locomotives built since, have been based upon the Rocket's basic design.

It was designed and built to compete in the Rainhill Trials, a competition to select the locomotive type for the Liverpool and Manchester Railway in October 1829. The Rocket won by default as all of the other competitors failed to complete the course.

At the official opening of the railway almost a year later on September 15 1830 the first run of the Rocket was marred by the first railway casualty in history, with the accidental death of William Huskisson.

Stephenson's Rocket still exists and resides at the Science Museum, London in much modified form compared to its state at the Rainhill Trials. The cylinders were altered to the horizontal position, compared to the slanted arrangement as new, and the locomotive was given a proper smokebox.