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Robert Stephenson

Robert Stephenson and Company was a steam locomotive factory in the United Kingdom. It was the first factory specifically designed to produce railway locomotives. The company was formed in 1823 in Forth Street, Newcastle-upon-Tyne by George Stephenson and his son Robert. It was the construction of the Stockton and Darlington Railway that prompted the initiative to build a factory for the purpose. The first locomotive to leave the factory was Locomotion No 1 which opened the Stockton and Darlington Railway. In October 1829 the Rocket locomotive won the Rainhill Trials. The locomotive had two important features, the multiple tube boiler and the separate furnace. The driving cylinders, initially mounted inclined were then moved to a horizontal position. In 1830 the Planet series with internal cylinders was produced, followed by the Patentee which added a trailing axle to the wheel arrangement to extend the length of the boiler and provide greater running stability. The 1-1-1 wheel arrangement became the standard for many locomotive manufacturers of the time. From 1899 onwards around 3,000 locomotives were produced; in 1902 the company was reorganised as Robert Stephenson and Company Limited and the manufacturing facilities were moved to Darlington. In 1937 the company absorbed Hawthorn Leslie and Company to form Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns. In 1938 Kitson and Company and Manning Wardle were acquired.

November 16th 2024

 

 
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