The first trip was made on Monday, February 13, 1804. Among the several trips made by the locomotive was one of 9 miles, between Merthyr Tydfil and Abercynon, drawing 5 cars with a load of 10 tons of iron and 70 men. Although a satisfactory machine, and one that proved that a useful load could be hauled through the adhesion of wheels on smooth track, it was not long in use because of frequent breakage of the primitive railway.
The single horizontal steam cylinder, projecting partly into the end of the boiler, operated a crankshaft fitted with a large-diameter flywheel. The driving wheels were coupled to the crankshaft by gearing. The bore and stroke of the cylinder are said to have been about 8¼ and 54 inches, respectively, and the unflanged wheels were about 45 inches in diameter. Discharge of the exhaust steam into the chimney was utilized with this particular locomotive, as Trevithick appreciated fully the effect it had upon the fire. The date of this early use of exhaust steam to aid the fire greatly antedates those claimed for later locomotive builders.
Trevithick Locomotive Catch-me-who-can, 1808
Trevithick’s next best known locomotive, his Catch-me-who-can, is represented in the national collection by a 9-inch-long nonoperable model (USNM 244889). The model (figure 62) was transferred to the Museum from the U. S. Department of the Interior in 1906. Nothing further is known of its origin.
The original Catch-me-who-can, built for Trevithick by Hazeldine and Rastrick of Bridgnorth, was exhibited in the summer of 1808 in London on a small circular railway laid down on part of the ground now occupied by Euston Square. The public was charged admission to enter a small enclosure to view the demonstration or ride in a small car pulled by the locomotive.
As on his 1804 locomotive, a single cylinder projecting partly within the end of the boiler was used, but it was vertical instead of horizontal. The rear wheels only were driven, actuated by long, return connecting rods attached to the ends of a wide crosshead. Because of the necessary arrangement of the cranks on the ends of the rear axle, it was entirely possible for the engine to stop on dead center. This was likewise a fault of the 1804 locomotive, which had a single crank.
The engine is said to have weighed 8 tons and to have traveled at a speed of 12 miles an hour, but troubles with the track ultimately brought the demonstrations to a halt. No dimensions are known today of the original Catch-me-who-can, which has long since disappeared.
Figure 62.—Model of Trevithick Catch-me-who-can, 1808.