[149090] Shildon : Locomotion - Sans Pareil

Locomotion, Shildon, Co Durham.

Sans Pareil Replica, 1979.

 

This is a working replica of Timothy Hackworth's 'Sans Pareil' locomotive. It was built to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Rainhill Trials.

 

The original (which is here on display) was designed and built by Timothy Hackworth (1786-1850) and took part in the Rainhill Trials in 1829. The trials were a competition held by the directors of the Liverpool & Manchester Railway Company to determine who would provide motive power to the railway.

 

Sans Pareil, meaning “without equal” or “peerless”, was one of the five competitors alongside Stephenson’s Rocket, the others being Cycloped owned by Thomas Brandreth; Perserverance, owned by Timothy Burstall; and Novelty, owned by John Braithwaite and John Ericcson. Despite there being some doubts about whether Sans Pareil was over the weight restrictions imposed by the organisers, it was allowed to compete. The design and technology used on Sans Pareil was of a different kind from the eventual winner, Rocket, and Sans Pareil was not able to complete the trial successfully.

 

Despite this, after the trial the engine was purchased by the Liverpool & Manchester Railway Company and used until 1831, when it was transferred to the Bolton & Leigh Railway. In 1844 it was removed to Coppull Colliery, near Chorley, where one axle and a pair of wheels were removed, and toothed gearing fitted to the other axle in order to power the colliery’s pumping and winding apparatus. In 1863, with the mine being exhausted, the engine was returned to its locomotive form and presented to the Museum.

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At Locomotion you can see highlights of the national collection of railway vehicles in the world’s first railway town.

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