Press Office
Exhibition reveals the first view of the worlds first powered passenger train
The mysteries surrounding the very beginnings of railways are to be exposed in a new ‘Case Studies’ exhibition at the National Railway Museum (NRM) featuring some of the first artefacts of the powered railway.
For years historians have viewed with suspicion the three known ‘Rowlandson’ prints of Trevithick’s first London railway of 1808 including the locomotive, ‘Catch Me Who Can’. However, in an exciting new development, research by John Liffen of the Science Museum has confirmed that they are forgeries dating to only just before the First World War.
As part of his work, John also discovered a hitherto unrecognised gem – a pen and wash illustration, really dating from 1808, showing ‘Catch Me Who can’ being prepared for operation in London.
Destined to become an icon of transport history, a copy of the pen and wash picture by John Claude Nattes (c.1765 – 1822) of the “View of a steam machine, New Road, Islington” is on display at the NRM as part of the ‘Case Studies’ exhibition.
Objects on display include the two known Trevithick model self moving engines, together for the first time since the 1930s, as well as the mystery ‘Sans Pareil’ model acquired by the museum with a major Lottery Grant in 2006. The ‘Sans Pareil’ model was previously believed to either be by Trevithick or his associates, or by Timothy Hackworth prior to his unsuccessful entry in the famous Rainhill trials of 1829. However, recent research by the Museum’s Curator of Rail Vehicles, Jim Rees, has concluded that the model engine may indeed be by Hackworth, but much earlier in date, perhaps around 1811 when he was experimenting towards building the famous ‘Puffing Billy’ locomotive for William Hedley at Wylam in Northumberland.
The ‘Case Studies’ exhibition, part of the NRM’s new Search Engine library and archive centre, will allow visitors to make up their own minds about some of the most valuable and important objects from the dawn of powered transport.
Search Engine is a £4million state-of-the-art Archive and Research Centre which has opened up access to thousands of fascinating, previously hidden treasures. Launched in January this year, Search Engine means the NRM will now be able to offer access to its vast archive collection – one of the largest and richest collections of railway related material in the world. It also means that the Museum’s specialist archives team will be able to work on the previously unsorted material making it more and more accessible to the public over the next few years.
Andrew Scott, Director of the NRM, said:
“For the first time, this exhibition brings together and explains several of the most important artefacts in the history of the railways. These objects demonstrate the role the Museum plays in cutting-edge research, and we want everyone to be able to see and understand them close up.”
July 2008