Liverpool & Manchester Railway 0-2-2 No. 'Rocket'
Shildon, Durham, UK 		Location: Locomotion Museum
Status: Display
Posted: Sep 29, 2025 @ 06:09:38 by Russell Newman
Stepthson’s original famous "Rocket" of 1829, has now left Locomotion Museum at Shildon and has relocated to its permanent home at the National Railway Museum in York where it is now on display in the Great Hall there.
Posted: Mar 1, 2023 @ 11:03:21 by Russell Newman
Stepthson’s original famous "Rocket" has been relocated to Locomotion Museum at Shildon in Durham where it will go on display from Friday the 3rd of March 2023. The relocation of "Rocket" from the National Railway Museum at York was to allow work to take place in their Station Hall which is undergoing major rebuilding. The move also co-insides with the near by then Robert Stepthson and Co which was the world’s first steam locomotive workshop which celebrates its bicentenary later this year.
Posted: Aug 2, 2019 @ 12:08:12 by Steve Frost
In September 2019, the loco will arrive at the National Railway Museum at York after temporary display at Manchester Museum of Science and Industry. York will be the loco's new permanent home.
Posted: Mar 4, 2019 @ 07:03:44 by Jonah Snyder
Hard to believe Rocket is 190 years old this year...
Posted: Dec 8, 2018 @ 13:12:37 by Robin R Beck
With the success of the Rainhill Trials Robert Stephenson & Co supplied 26 locomotives to the Liverpool and Manchester Railway within 3 years. Eight of them being similar to ROCKET.

ROCKET worked on the Liverpool and Manchester Railway from it's opening in 1830 until 1834. It was sold in 1836 to work on Lord Carlisle's Brampton Railway in Cumberland. It may have returned to the makers for an overhaul before going to Cumberland. The Brampton Railway was a horse drawn wagon way taking coal from various local coal mines to Brampton. In 1836 a new railway was built of 3 sections. Locomotive hauled at both ends and rope incline in the middle. ROCKET worked one section by itself.

It operated until 1840, then was stored out of use. It returned to the makers in 1851 for restoration, to be displayed at the Great Exhibition, but was never exhibited. It returned to owners in Cumberland.

In 1862 it was donated to the Patent Office Museum, South Kensington, London. In 1883 it moved, along with the whole museum collection to a new building nearby, which became the Science Museum. At present it is on loan to Manchester Science & Industry Museum. On display in the entrance hall, with plenty of public interest.

Posted: Jul 27, 2018 @ 11:07:28 by Russell Newman
It has been confirmed that from April 2019 Stepthsons original "Rocket" will relocated to the National Railway Museum at York as its more permanent home.
Posted: Jun 6, 2018 @ 14:06:57 by Russell Newman
Stepthson s original "Rocket" will be relocating to the Manchester Museum of Science & Industry from September 2018 to April 2019. This will be the first time in 180 years that the original "Rocket" will be back in Manchester where it made railway history at the Rainhill trails and the opening of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway.
Posted: Aug 14, 2017 @ 17:08:11 by Russell Newman
Stepthson s original "Rocket" is returning to its birthplace on Tyneside as its being loaned to the Tyne & Wear Archives and Museums to be on display for the Great Exhibition of the North taking place from the 22nd of June till the end of September in 2018.
Posted: Aug 19, 2008 @ 22:08:01 by Big Al
I would like to see a replica of this locomotive in its current form. Also notice Puffing Billy in the back round.
Posted: Dec 22, 2004 @ 13:12:07 by Steve Frost
As Doug says, this is the surviving remains of 'Rocket' in its rebuilt form. There are two replicas at the National Railway Museum - the working replica which you can see by browsing through Europe/UK/Yorkshire, and a similar, but sectioned example. Both show 'Rocket' as built, with the steeply inclined cylinders. This feature caused problems, tending to lift the light loco at the front with the piston thrusts, so, within months, a modified version with low mounted cylinders was produced - as preserved. The preserved original does appear to show mountings for the inclined cylinders. As preserved, it still has the separate firebox, but has the addition of a smokebox and front buffer beam. 'Northumbrian' of 1830 had all these features and a waterjacket firebox - the original 'locomotive' type boiler. Apart from size and the addition of things like superheaters, this has lasted to the last steam locos built. It is excellent that this, the first of the line that led to all other types still exists. It has been the subject of detailed archaeology in recent years, and many of its design features are now better described than ever.
Posted: Dec 19, 2004 @ 19:12:18 by Michael Ledingham

Weight:  9,000#

Driver Diameter:  56.5"

Cylinders:  8x?"

Tractive Effort:  900

Boiler Pressure:  50 psi

Posted: Nov 2, 2002 @ 18:11:04 by Doug Bailey
Rebuilt remains of the original locomotive.
Posted: Nov 2, 2002 @ 18:11:38 by Doug Bailey