An old engraving of William Hedley’s locomotive of 1813. It is from a Victorian mechanical engineering book of the 1880s. William Hedley (1779–1843) was one of the leading industrial engineers of the early 1800s. He built the first practical steam locomotive (for Wylam Colliery, Northumberland, England, UK) which relied simply on the adhesion of iron wheels on iron rails. This engine had a return flue boiler and had eight driving wheels from a central gear. This engine was called ‘Puffing Billy’ – it was later configured to run on 4 wheels and continued working until 1862.
An old engraving of William Hedley’s locomotive of 1813. It is from a Victorian mechanical engineering book of the 1880s. William Hedley (1779–1843) was born in Newburn, near Newcastle upon Tyne. He was one of the leading industrial engineers of the early 1800s, and was instrumental in several major innovations in early railway development. He built the first practical steam locomotive (for Wylam Colliery, Northumberland, England, UK) which relied simply on the adhesion of iron wheels on iron rails. Hedley first constructed a test carriage operated by manpower, to test the adhesion under various loads. The second engine built in 1813 with the assistance of Timothy Hackworth, his foreman smith, and his principal engine wright, Jonathan Forster, had a return flue boiler and had eight driving wheels from a central gear. This engine was called ‘Puffing Billy’ – it was later configured to run on 4 wheels and continued working until 1862.
Size: 3543px × 3532px
Location: Wylam Colliery, Northumberland, England, UK
Photo credit: © M&N / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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