William Murdock's Locomotive 1784

    This cut shows a longitudinal section of a miniature locomotive, made by William Murdock in 1784.

     It had a single vertical cylinder ¾" dia. by 2" stroke, the slide valve was actuated by a tappet motion, the beam striking it up and down alternately at each end of the stroke, the piston rod was connected to one end of a beam vibrating upon a joint at the other, as in the class of engines now known as "grasshoppers." A connecting rod was joined to the beam, close to its working end, and turned a crank in the axel of a pair of driving wheels 9½" dia. The cylinder was half immersed in a small copper boiler, through which a flue passed obliquely the heat being supplied by a spirit lamp beneath.

     This machine is still in existence and is the property of Mr. Murdock, manager of the Sun Foundry, Leeds and grandson of William Murdock.