Rail, Steam, and Speed

Rail, Steam, and Speed Rail, Steam, and Speed The “Rocket” and the Birth of Steam Locomotion CHRISTOPHER McGOWAN COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY PRESS NEW YORK C COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY PRESS Publishers Since 1893 New York Chichester, West Sussex First published in Great Britain by Little, Brown Copyright © 2004 Christopher McGowan All rights reserved Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data McGowan, Christopher. Rail, steam, and speed : the“Rocket” and the birth of steam locomotion / Christopher McGowan. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0–231–13474–6 (cloth:alk.paper) 1. Steam locomotives—England—History—19th century. 2. Railroads—England—History—19th century. I. Title. TJ603.4.G7M43 2004 625.26’1’094209034—dc22 20040409411 Columbia Universty Press books and printed on permanent and durable acid-free paper Printed in the United States of America c 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Contents ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS vii 1 The sport of kings 1 2 Lessons from the past 32 3 The London challenge 62 4 A man of principles 80 5 Up from the mine 100 6 Famous son of a famous father 135 7 Rocket on trial 157 8 The people’s choice 191 9 The dark horse 201 10 Winning day 216 11 Triumph and tragedy 231 12 Boom and bust 262 13 Beginnings and endings 270 NOTES 317 INDEX 354 CREDITS 380 Acknowledgements The greatest reward in writing this book has been meeting a cadre of such knowledgeable enthusiasts, from industrial archaeologists and railway historians to engine crews and the builders of the replica engines they drive. I have an unre- deemable debt of gratitude to each one of you for your generosity and patience in giving me a better understanding of your fields of expertise. You have answered my questions, explained your engines, discussed your research, provided reprints, preprints, unpublished manuscripts and archival material. I give my sincerest thanks to each one of you. With apologies for any omissions, I thank John Allen, Philip Atkins, Paul Belford, Tony Burton, Colin Divall, Francis Evans, Patrick Greene, Andy Guy, Richard Hayman, David Heaton, Richard Hills, Dieter W. Hopkin, Lars Olov Karlsson, Richard Lamb, Michael Lewis, John Liffen, John Selway, Peter Stokes, Jennifer Tann and Roger Waldron. Michael Bailey, an eternal font of railway history, was kind- ness personified with his generous and indulgent help. He replied to numerous e-mails, assisted with literature, suggested names I should contact, and gave freely of his extensive knowledge of the subject. Our long discussions on Rocket and the Stephensons have been invaluable, and his meticulously careful reading of an earlier version of the entire viii Rail, Steam, and Speed manuscript has greatly improved this work. Richard Gibbon similarly read the entire manuscript, pointing out the errors of my ways, and shared his current and unpublished joint research, with Richard Lamb, on Novelty’s air-blower. During my many visits to the National Railway Museum (NRM), York, he discussed engines and engineering, clambered beneath the replica of Rocket to demonstrate the reversing mechanism, and facilitated my interactions with the crew when the engine was in steam. Jim Rees shared his knowledge and enthusiasm for early locomotives and the men who built them, from his unique perspective of having built and driven replica locomotives himself. I have gained so much from our discussions. John Glithero has also been more than generous in discussing early locomotives, particularly Rocket, and its engineering history, and in reading parts of the manuscript. Dave Burrows and Ray Towell, the replica Rocket’s crew, spent much time with me aboard their engine while in steam, answering my many questions and giving me insights into what is involved in its operation. Dave Burrows also took time from a busy schedule to discuss Rocket and the Llangollen re-enactment, and to correspond with me later. The crew of San Pareil’s replica, David Heaton and Tony Newton, spent much time with me while firing and driving their engine. The information they shared on the operation of the locomotive was invaluable. Sheila Bye spent one Sunday morning with me at the Middleton Railway discussing Blenkinsop’s locomotive. She also freely shared information and archival material. Jane Hackworth-Young, the great- great-granddaughter of railway pioneer Timothy Hackworth, provided me with insights into her celebrated ancestor and his family, and gave me a copy of his portrait. She also provided warm hospitality during a recent visit to her pastoral corner of England, gave a guided tour of historically impor- Acknowledgements ix tant sites in and around Shildon, and introduced me to the crew of Sans Pareil’s replica. Her cousin, Ulick Loring, also shared his knowledge of Timothy Hackworth. Much of the research for this book was conducted in libraries, archives and museums in various parts of England. Space does not allow me to thank each of these institutions for their generous help, but I would like to acknowledge the Public Record Office and its user-friendly staff: I am as impressed by the extent of the collection as I am with the speed with which the material is located. Keith Moore of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers helped with archival material during my visits, and provided valuable assistance and information afterwards. His assistant, Sarah Vinsen, was also exceedingly helpful. So too were Rheanna Sullivan, for- merly of the Science and Society Picture Library, and Mike Chrimes of the Institution of Civil Engineers. Camilla Harrison, NRM, provided valuable logistic support. Andrew Forester, my long-time friend from undergraduate days and a stickler for the proper use of English, read the entire manuscript most critically, generating reams of com- ments. His correcting of so many of my transgressions and embarrassing gaffs has improved the manuscript considerably. This book began as an idea for a complete history of steam power, from which my agent, Jill Grinberg, wisely steered me away. During a discussion with Peter Robinson, our affiliate agent in London, he suggested focussing on Rainhill and locomotives, which was such sound advice. Jill, as always, has given her support and encouragement throughout the entire project. Working with the professionals at Time Warner Books and Columbia University Press has been a great joy. Tim Whiting and Robin Smith, my editors in the UK and the U.S., have been equally supportive and enthusiastic. Their careful reading of the drafts and clear guidance in helping me make x Rail, Steam, and Speed significant organisational changes were critical to the project. Michael Haskell has been most helpful as production editor, and Rachael Ludbrook and Linda Secondari were instru- mental in the design of the gorgeous cover. My sincere thanks to you all. Last, but by no means least, I wish to thank Liz, my stoic wife, who suffered through my long absences from the real world as I shut myself away in my office – thoroughly boring and antisocial – working from pre-dawn to post-dusk. She also lent her professional assistance, critiquing, proofing, and checking. And the support she gave during the terminal nightmare with the nameless software that refused to index properly is beyond belief. I cannot find words even approaching adequacy to express my thanks for all of this, and for so very much more. I count my blessings. To Emma, Carter, and Miles, with love. The Rainhill Trials CHAPTER 1 The sport of kings On the morning of Tuesday 6 October 1829, a huge crowd, estimated at between ten and fifteen thousand, gathered at a temporary meeting ground in the north of England, some ten miles from Liverpool. They came from across the land and across the sea, converging on the tiny hamlet of Rainhill, a name that would become synonymous with the event they were to witness. Carriages of every description lined the perimeter of the grounds, but many spectators had arrived on foot, some travelling many miles from the surrounding countryside, just to be there. Pedestrian traffic competed with horse-drawn vehicles, all but clogging the roads leading to the grounds as more people flooded in. A ‘commodious tent’ had been erected for the accom- modation of the ladies, but many preferred to mill around the grounds, or to enjoy the spectacle from their open carriages. Union Jacks fluttered, a band played and hawkers sold their wares. It might have been a day at the races – the St Leger or the Derby. But this crowd, which included a large contingent of engineers and men of science, had not 2 Rail, Steam, and Speed come to indulge in the sport of kings. They had come to witness the most remarkable event of the Industrial Age: a competition between railway locomotives to see if any one of them was fast enough and powerful enough, and suffi- ciently reliable and economical, for regular railway service. Rainhill would be a defining moment in railway history, but the reason why the trials were so pivotal may not have been apparent to many of the spectators. Steam locomotives, after all, had been in existence for a quarter of a century, and the first public railway, the Stockton & Darlington, had been in operation for over four years. During that railway’s tri- umphant opening, George Stephenson’s engine, Locomotion, had hauled a special train crammed with over 600 passen- gers. The 400 ft-long train, with people clinging to the outside like bees, reached the amazing speed of 12 mph. This was a spectacular achievement, and the future of the railways seemed assured. But steam locomotives did not live up to their vaunted expectations. First and foremost, locomotives were notoriously unreli- able, and spent a good part of their time in the engine shed.

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