It’s been two years in the making, but a working replica of the world’s first steam locomotive has finally got a run-out on the tracks at Bridgnorth’s Severn Valley Railway.
The model of Richard Trevithick’s Catch Me Who Can has been tested ahead of the bicentenary celebrations of the famous locomotive.
The engine will take pride of place at the Trevithick 200 Festival celebrations which will be held on Severn Park, in Bridgnorth, on July 19 and 20.
The engine, which has been designed and built by Severn Valley Railway engineer David Reynolds with the help of a couple of volunteers, left the engine house today for its first tracks trial.
Mr Reynolds wanted to give the boiler a blow in preparation for an official inspection for insurance in time for the festival.
Mr Reynolds said he was hopeful the engine would be ready in time.
“There’s still a couple of parts that need to be finished, but at the moment it’s all going to plan,” he said.
“The rally is a celebration of the fact that engines made in Bridgnorth were exported across the world. People have heard about the Catch Me Who Can, but there were about 37 other engines built in the town during the same period.
“We’re hoping the rally will be successful and it will be the first time that four of Trevithick’s engines will be together in the same place.”
Designed by Trevithick, a Cornish engineer and locomotive builder, the Catch Me Who Can was built at the Hazeldine foundry in Bridgnorth in 1808.
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One Comment
Mr Reynolds and his helpers are to be congratulated on their fine achievement in building a ‘re-construction’ of the Catch me who can locomotive. It is a re-construction rather than a replica as the original drwaings for its construction did not survive. Also Richards Trevithick`s 1802/3 Coalbrookdale locomotive was the World`s first and Catch me who can is the World`s first steam locomotive designed to haul passenger coaches. Shropshire can be proud of its part in the development of railways.
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