Beschreibung:

STEPHENSON, GEORGE. Autograph letter signed ("Geo.Stephenson") TO HIS SON, ROBERT STEVENSON in Newcastle; Liverpool, 15 April l828. 2 pages, 4to, integral address leaf, remains of seal. [ with ] ROBERT STEPHENSON. Autograph letter signed to Timothy Harkworth of the Darlington Railway Offic; Liverpool, 1 December 1828. 2 full pages, 4to, address leaf. (2) ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF "THE ROCKET" LOCOMOTIVE ENGINE Robert Stephenson (1803-1859) had been placed in charge of the locomotive factory established at Newcastle by his father in l823. (See notes to preceding lot.) When his health failed, he spent some years overseas, while the early experiments were conducted on his father's locomotives, but returned to England in l827 and became superintendant of the factory, which was now engaged in the perfection and construction of the famous "Rocket" locomotive engine, which had its successful trial a year and a half after the date of the present letter, which concerns one of the most crucial problems encountered in the building of the "Rocket," namely, the attachment of certain tubes to the tube-plates of the boiler. "...I am quite aware that the bent tubes are a complicated job to make, but after once in and well done it cannot be any complication in the working of the engine. This bent tube is a trick of your own which you stated to me in a former letter. The interior of a watch looks complicated but when once well fit-up, there needs very little more trouble for an hundred years, & I expect the Engine you are fitting up [the "Rocket"] will be something similar...We must now push forward for Canterbury as much as possible. Gooch will send you a copy of all that is to be done. Gillespie has commenced operations. It will be necessary for you to be there in the course of a Month....I have not heard any thing more from the Hitton Company, therefore you will push Scruton forward with his part of my business....Your Afft. Father..." When the "Rocket" was completed, a competition was held, near Liverpool, against three other engines by various designers. "The place of trial...was a two-mile level piece of line, and each engine was to run at least seventy miles in a day, backwards and forwards on this course, at a mean speed of not less than ten miles per hour. The contest, which created extraordinary interest and excitement, began on 6 Oct. l829....Stephenson's triumph was complete" (-DNB). His son's letter, included, concerns problems with one of the early locomotives on the Darlington line (the first operating): "I am rather surprised to hear that the wooden wheels are yielding...on the Bolton line the wooden wheels have not shown the least sign of failure....Another improvement will be to increase the steam ways....The new Boiler has been tried with Coke and answers very well...."