Overview (Updated 15 October 2007)
This section of the SLS website covers the evolution of the early steam locomotive.
Early Steam Locomotives (1) Bowen Cooke's views
C J Bowen Cooke was the Chief Mechanical Engineer of the LNWR. He wrote a book entitled British Locomotives. The first Chapter covers early locomotives up to the Rainhill trials of 1829. The textual content and diagrams from that first chapter * have been transcribed from a copy of the second edition of the book dating from 1894. As the Society aims to provide in-depth coverage of all aspects of the railway scene we bring you this long out of print work by one of Britain's early, and eminent, locomotive engineers. Although the book is out of copyright a reference to the publisher has been included here for courtesy purposes. (Whittaker & Co of London) It would also be appreciated if any quotations from this transcription also credit the SLS.
* NB The original pdf facsimile pages were withdrawn and replaced by a transcription of the chapter during 2003.
With the move to the new web host in September 2007 we have also been able to reinstate the illustrations which had been temporarily withdrawn due to space problems on the old servers - webmaster Oct 2007.
Early Locomotives (2) - Locomotives in Profile
Web site of graphic designer - Richard Green with short, but good, summary of the early locomotives built up to, and including, Locomotion of 1825.
