Figure 27.—Replica of De Witt Clinton at the Fair of the Iron Horse in 1927.
Figure 28.—Model of De Witt Clinton, in National Museum.
National Museum’s John Bull
Figure 29.—Pre-1900 photo of John Bull, oldest complete and operable locomotive in North America, now in National Museum.
Probably the most famous and historic old locomotive in the United States today is the John Bull, the oldest complete and operable locomotive in the country ([figure 29]). Built in England in 1831 by Robert Stephenson & Co. of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, it was officially placed in service on November 12, 1831, at Bordentown, N. J., on the lines of the Camden and Amboy Rail Road and Transportation Co., now a part of the Pennsylvania Railroad Co. In regular service until 1865, the locomotive was given by the Pennsylvania Railroad Co. to the National Museum in 1885 (USNM 180001). It should not be confused with another Stephenson-built locomotive of the same name, built for the Mohawk and Hudson Rail Road Co. at the same time but no longer in existence.
The Camden and Amboy’s John Bull, its first locomotive, was ordered from Stephenson by Robert L. Stevens of New Jersey, son of the railroad pioneer Col. John Stevens, and president of the company, who had gone to England in October 1830 for this purpose, as well as to purchase iron rails of his design for the track of the new railroad.
The locomotive was completed early in the summer of 1831 and was shipped from Liverpool on the ship Allegheny, which sailed for Philadelphia on July 14. It had been disassembled for shipping, as were most of the early locomotives, and it is interesting to note that the freight charge was only £19, or a little under $100. The total cost of the locomotive, incidentally, was £784 7s. 0d., or a little under $4,000.