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R.o.B Motive Power
LMR Rocket 0-2-2

Specifications: LMR 0-2-2 Original built in 1829 at Robert Stephenson and Co, Newcastle upon Tyne
Tractive effort: 820lb at 85% boiler pressure
Axle Load: 5600lb
Cylinders: (2) 8 inch dia x 17 inch stroke
Driving Wheels: 56 1/2 inch Diameter
Heating Surface: 117.75 sqinch
Steam pressure: 50psi
Grate Area: 8sq
Fuel/Capacity: Coke 2200lb
Water Capacity: 400Gallons
Total Weight: 4 tons 5cwt locomotive   5tons 4cwt tender
Overall Length: 7 feet 2 inches
Valve gear: Stephenson-wood loose eccentric arrangement
Designed By: George and Robert Stephenson

The World famous 'Rocket' was built in Newcastle at the Robert Stephenson and Company works which were sited just below what was to become the site of Newcastle Central station and was originally tested on the internal railway of the Killingworth colliery before being dismantled and taken to Carlisle for Shipment in parts to Liverpool. The locomotive had been designed with power in mind and was supplied with the earliest form of multi-tube boiler which had 25 narrow copper tubes that passed the heat through the boiler, earlier locomotive boilers had consisted of a flue directly connected to the chimney with the boiler wrapped around the outside and were very inefficient at creating steam. The reason for the high chimney was to aid air to be drawn through the fire though 'Rocket' also possessed what became known a blast pipe which is a narrow opening that the exhaust steam from the cylinders is pushed through and up through the chimney adding extra draw to the fire. In later years this was enclosed in the locomotives smoke box and as the larger higher pressure cylinders exhausted the draught would create a partial vacuum in the smokebox drawing air through the fire from the damper under the fire. The purpose of the engine was to demonstrate the design ability of the Stephenson Company at the Liverpool and Manchester railway's Rainhill trials that were held to decide which would be the most efficient mode of motive power, originally the Liverpool and Manchester were going to use horse and stationary winding engines though George Stephenson insisted on Locomotive haulage. Several entries were made one of whom was the engineer for the Stockton and Darlington Railway, Timothy Hackworth who had improved on and re designed some of George Stephenson's early locomotives used on the railway.

The design and ability of 'Rocket' impressed the directors of the L&MR so much that the contract was given to the Robert Stephenson and Co to build another 6 similar engines which were subsequently supplied with modifications that had been demonstrated as necessary by the original engine which itself also underwent much improvement. The 'Rocket' design was also to set the precedent for subsequent locomotives of the 'Planet' class.  In 1836 'Rocket' was sold to the Earl of Carlisle's collieries in Cumberland where it worked until 1840 when it was withdrawn though kept in storage as one of the earliest preservation plans. In 1862 it was taken to the Science Museum in London where it has remained though in the early 21^st Century it made a trip to York for exhibition at the National Railway museum along with other early engines. For the 150^th anniversary of the Rainhill trials in 1979 a replica of the engine was built though with the Stephenson modifications included, one of the most noticeable being the position of the cylinders which are at an approximate 40-45 degree angle the original design seeing lower angled cylinders (20 degrees), the change allowing greater thrust and engine stability. The engine does regular tours of the country but was built at and seems to belong to the Kent and East Sussex railway.