Replica of Stephenson's 1829 "Rocket" Locomotive
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When England's Liverpool and Manchester Railway held a contest in 1829 to find the best locomotive design for its line, George Stephenson's Rocket took the prize. The Rocket's horizontal boiler, with cylinders directly connected to its driving wheels, set the standard pattern for all subsequent locomotives. Henry Ford commissioned this replica from the original builders in 1928.
When England's Liverpool and Manchester Railway held a contest in 1829 to find the best locomotive design for its line, George Stephenson's Rocket took the prize. The Rocket's horizontal boiler, with cylinders directly connected to its driving wheels, set the standard pattern for all subsequent locomotives. Henry Ford commissioned this replica from the original builders in 1928.
Artifact
Steam locomotive
Date Made
1929
Subject Date
1829
Creators
Place of Creation
United Kingdom, England, Darlington (unitary authority), Darlington
Creator Notes
Commissioned by Henry Ford and built by Robert Stephenson & Co. in Darlington, England in 1929
Keywords
On Exhibit
at Henry Ford Museum in Transportation - Trains
Object ID
29.883.1
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford.
Material
Wood (Plant material)
Iron (Metal)
Brass (Alloy)
Copper (Metal)
Color
Black (Color)
Dimensions
Height: 15 ft
Width: 6.167 ft
Length: 21.563 ft
Inscriptions
Marked on plates fastened to each side of boiler: ROCKET Brass builder's plate marked on top front of locomotive frame: REPLICA / OF ORIGINAL ROCKET / BUILT 1829 BY / ROBERT STEPHENSON & CO., LTD. / DARLINGTON, / ENGLAND
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