Stephenson's Rocket
Stephenson's Rocket
Rocket as preserved in the Science Museum, London.
Stephenson's Rocket was an early steam locomotive of 0-2-2 wheel arrangement, built by George Stephenson in 1829.
A common misconception is that 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 in some ways an evolution, not a revolution.
Rocket's claim to fame is that it was the first 'modern' locomotive, introducing several innovations that have been used on almost every steam locomotive built since. In fact, the standard steam locomotive design is often called the "Stephensonian" locomotive. Rocket used a multi-tubular boiler, which made for much more efficient and effective heat transfer between the exhaust gases and the water. Previous boilers consisted of a single pipe surrounded by water. Rocket also used a blastpipe for the first time - using the blast of exhaust steam to induce a partial vacuum to pull air through the fire; credit for the invention of the blastpipe is, however, disputed between Sir Goldsworthy Gurney and Timothy Hackworth.
Nearly all steam locomotives built since have been based upon 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. All the other competitors broke down so a true result is a bit hard to tell; however in winning, Rocket did fulfill the key requirement of the contest that a full simulated 50 mile (90-km) round trip under load be completed with satisfactory fuel consumption. It averaged 12 miles per hour (achieving a top speed of 30 miles per hour) hauling 13 tons. The builders of Rocket had already built about 50 engines, and presumably were fairly good at doing this.
At the
Rocket as preserved in the Science Museum, London.
Stephenson's Rocket was an early steam locomotive of 0-2-2 wheel arrangement, built by George Stephenson in 1829.
A common misconception is that 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 in some ways an evolution, not a revolution.
Rocket's claim to fame is that it was the first 'modern' locomotive, introducing several innovations that have been used on almost every steam locomotive built since. In fact, the standard steam locomotive design is often called the "Stephensonian" locomotive. Rocket used a multi-tubular boiler, which made for much more efficient and effective heat transfer between the exhaust gases and the water. Previous boilers consisted of a single pipe surrounded by water. Rocket also used a blastpipe for the first time - using the blast of exhaust steam to induce a partial vacuum to pull air through the fire; credit for the invention of the blastpipe is, however, disputed between Sir Goldsworthy Gurney and Timothy Hackworth.
Nearly all steam locomotives built since have been based upon 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. All the other competitors broke down so a true result is a bit hard to tell; however in winning, Rocket did fulfill the key requirement of the contest that a full simulated 50 mile (90-km) round trip under load be completed with satisfactory fuel consumption. It averaged 12 miles per hour (achieving a top speed of 30 miles per hour) hauling 13 tons. The builders of Rocket had already built about 50 engines, and presumably were fairly good at doing this.
At the