• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

Birmingham Steam Buses 1824-1910.

Gerroff MOLESWORTH! Bet Sir is pleased though hee hee!:P There you are, told you Molesworth that's a ice cream soda fizz you owe me in the tuck shop now:P
 
Last edited:
To show there is not really any contretemps (whatever they are) in class Aiden and whilst Sir is busy in his books how about this 1906 beauty from the Sheppee Motor & Engineering Co. of York. The totally enclosed liquid fuel engine slung beneath the chassis had double high pressure single acting cylinders with push rod operating poppet valves. The firm only lasted from 1905 until 1914 when presumebly its founder, one Colonel F.H. Sheppee went off to war. Now if only the Midland Red had put a few of these on the road to Birmingham-on Sea.....
 
Mention of the Sheppee reminds me of road, rail (including tram) and water-going vehicles powered by plant from the LiFu company of Hampshire. LiFu = Liquid Fuel.
No trams or buses, but here's the LiFu powered steam launch 'Oberon' on Windermere.
Not hanging about, is it?

[video=youtube;6ff9BT3nltU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ff9BT3nltU[/video]
 
Amazing, Hot End Ware eh Lloyd?, not a million miles away from the steam charabancs which must have got a bit hot at the driving end. Couldn't resist lifting their view of another of their charabancs but the other products came with it so we must excuse those.
 
Charabancs, early motorbikes and the Windemere Steam Launch - my cup runneth over - perhaps this thread should be renamed "anything steamy"....
 
Midland Red used to have steam inspectors. Well, many of them had steam blowing from their ears once they got on my bus!
 
Heaton Brothers Steam Carriage Chronology 1826-1834.

2010-07-21 21:59:42
[The following chronology is based mainly on Jenson, with considerable corrections and additions from our BHF research. Corrections, additions and comments are welcome. It would be nice to know more about the brothers Heaton, and the directors of the Heatons' Steam Carriage Co / Birmingham General Steam Carriage Co. A picture of the "Heaton" steam drag, or of the "more powerful" 1834 model, would be useful. :)]

1826: The Heaton Brothers allegedly register a patent relating to steam propelled vehicles. [I can find no firm evidence of this.]

6 October 1830: Patent number 6006 is granted: "To John Heaton, William Heaton, George Heaton, and Reuben Heaton, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, manufacturers and copartners, for their having invented or found out certain machinery, and the application thereof to steam engines, for the purpose of propelling and drawing carriages on turnpike roads, or other roads, and railways".

13 October 1830: The first trial of the "Heaton" steam drag. As Prosser (1881) records: "One of its earliest appearances in the streets of Birmingham took place in October 1830, and a Bilston correspondent of the Mechanics' Magazine says that he was much 'surprised' — as indeed he well might have been — on the thirteenth day of that month, 'to meet a locomotive steam-engine in Bath Street, drawing a large cast-iron press, which, on enquiry, I was informed, weighed one ton eleven cwt exclusive of the carriage on which it was placed. It proceeded at a steady pace up Whittall Street, Steelhouse Lane, Bull Street, Temple Row, Waterloo Street, and Ann Street, to the manufactory of Mr Hardman, button and medal manufacturer, where the load was detached, and the engine started off at an amazing velocity, turning the corners of the streets right and left with the greatest exactness.' The name of the engine was the 'Enterprise'."

23 November 1830: The same patent is registered in Scotland.

7 December 1832: The second road trial of the Heaton steam carriage. As Aris's Birmingham Gazette (ABG; 10 December 1832) reports : "The steam-carriage constructed by our townsmen, Messrs Heaton, made a short journey on the Hales Owen-road, on Friday last, in order to try the power of a new boiler in generating steam, and, which we understand, performed its office most satisfactorily. The carriage started from the manufactory in Shadwell-street, and proceeded up Great Charles-street-hill at the rate of five miles an hour. It afterwards increased its speed, and on its way to Hazelwood went frequently at the rate of ten miles an hour. Its average rate of travelling, however, seemed to be about eight miles an hour, and this it performs with great safety and certainty along all roads. About 30 of Messrs Heatons' pupils contrived to get upon the carriage and rode about two miles, returning much gratified."

c May 1833. The "Heaton" goes to Dudley. As Prosser (1881) records: "Nothing seems to be recorded of the machine for about three years, but in the Mechanics' Magazine for 6 June 1833, there is a letter from Messrs Heaton describing the transport of a heavy press to Dudley. On that occasion nine miles were accomplished, with a load of twenty-five cwt, exclusive of the carriage and chains and five persons, in two hours and eight minutes, thirty-eight minutes of that time having been spent in procuring water and adjusting the load, which had accidentally slipped."

16 July 1833. The "Heaton" goes to Wolverhampton. As Prosser (1881) records: "On the sixteenth of the next month the energetic brothers made a successful trip to Wolverhampton, a light wagon containing twenty-two persons being conveyed thirteen miles in one hour and fifty-six minutes, sixteen minutes of which were occupied in taking up and setting down passengers and taking in water. The return trip was not so successful, two accidents having happened to the machine during the journey."

28 August 1833: Following an abortive attempt earlier in the month, the "Heaton" steam drag tows a stage coach on a return trip between Birmingham and Bromsgrove. The Birmingham Journal (2 September 1833) reports: "On Wednesday last, our townsmen Messrs Heaton (brothers) made another experiment with their steam coach, to ascend the hill at Bromsgrove Lickey, which is a loose sandy surface, so much so, that the wheels of their machine (about fifty hundred weight) carried a hill of sand before them about three inches deep. The hill is about seven hundred yards along, and rises on an average one yard in nine, and in some places one yard in eight, and is declared by eminent surveyors to be the worst piece of road in the kingdom. This hill was mounted by their machine, with a stage coach attached, fifteen hundred weight, and nine persons, in nine minutes, in the presence of about two hundred spectators. They then took up their friends, twenty in number, they had brought from Birmingham, making twenty five, and proceeded on to Bromsgrove, as far as the Market place; there they turned the machine round, and returned to the Crab Mill Inn, about fifteen miles; this was accomplished in two hours and twenty two minutes, including all stoppages. Having staid a considerable time at the Crab Mill Inn, they returned home, calling at the various places on the road where they had before called in the morning, and receiving the congratulation of their friends at having accomplished the greatest undertaking in the history of steam locomotion on the common road. They arrived in Birmingham, bringing with them, up Worcester street, an ascent of one yard in twelve, thirty two persons." Jenson records a few additional facts about this momentous journey: the steamer leaves Birmingham with fifteen passengers; it takes 56 minutes to cover the seven miles to Northfield, where the water tank is refilled and five additional passengers come aboard; during the return journey the brakes are tested by bringing the vehicle to a sudden stop on the descent of Lickey Hill; the cost of the eleven bushels coke consumed on the 29 mile journey is two shillings and ninepence. Prosser (1881) adds one or two more details: the steam drag departed from Shadwell Street at 10:06 am; the Northfield stop was at the Bell Inn; arrival back at Shadwell Street was at 4:35 pm; the Heatons report on this journey appeared in the Mechanics' Magazine on 14 September 1833.

September 1833: About this time: "The Messrs Heaton [go] six times in one day between Birmingham and Wolverhampton, a distance of thirteen miles". [Francis Macerone. A Few Facts Concerning Elementary Locomotion. Second Edition. London: Effingham Wilson, 1834.]

7 October 1833: Heaton Brothers advertise (in ABG) the formation of Heatons' Steam Carriage Co, and announce a meeting at the "Union" tavern (Union Street, Birmingham) for the purpose of electing a provisional committee. The announcement is signed by a committee pro tem, whose members are John Barwell, John Blakemore, Jesse Greaves, Henry Gimblett, Henry Merry, Robert Packer, Joseph Pickard [and Uncle Tom Cobley and all ... :excited:]. At the meeting, a committee of fifteen shareholders is elected for the ensuing year (with Henry Merry as chairman), and it is resolved that the remaining 2,000 unappropriated £10 shares be offered to the public (through the Birmingham Banking Co) at a premium of £1 per share. In the event the issue is oversubscribed: 3,000 shares are sold in less than 24 hours.

14 October 1833: ABG reports: "Messrs Heaton are now preparing machinery for four engines, and the company calculates on commencing to run them in the month of March next, on some short line of road in this neighbourhood".

12 April 1834: The Birmingham Journal reports: "We are authorised by the committee of Heatons' Steam-Carriage Company to state that the result of the experiments hitherto made with their engine has not proved satisfactory, and that they will shortly call a meeting of the shareholders to take into consideration a communication made to the committee by Messrs Heatons on the subject."

3 May 1834: William Baddeley (contributor to the anti-Church crusade of 1833) publishes a letter in the Mechanics' Magazine, Museum, Register, Journal and Gazette: "The advocates for steam travelling on common turnpike-roads have, for some time past, been anxiously awaiting the debut of Messrs Heaton Brothers' new locomotive, which has at length taken place. The sanguine expectations which Messrs Heatons previously eminently successful experiments gave rise to, have, however, been disappointed by the results of more recent trials with the new and more powerful engine. In this engine the weight, wear and tear, and consumption of steam have proved so much greater than was calculated upon, that Messrs Heatons have been compelled to entertain views on the subject differing widely from those with which they started. In the course of a few experimental trips with their new engine, which is a very beautiful machine, Messrs Heatons have been compelled to doubt the possibility of steam locomotion on common roads, at an average speed of ten miles an hour, the wear and tear of machinery, with other incidental expenses, being so great as to exceed any probable receipts; profitable running, therefore, at this speed — and it is presumed a slower would not be tolerated — they believe to be impracticable. ... [quotes the Birmingham Journal report of 12 April 1834] ... After expending upwards of two thousand pounds in endeavouring to effect steam travelling, Messrs Heatons now retire from the field; their candid and upright conduct throughout this business is highly honourable to them, and forms a striking contrast to the delusions practised elsewhere."

4 November 1834: a resolution is passed at a special general meeting: "That the Birmingham General Steam Carriage Co be dissolved and the sum of 20 shillings per share returned to the holders of deposit receipts or certificates on their presenting the same for payment at the Birmingham Banking Co on or after Thursday next. Henry Merry, Chairman."

1836: Volume 2 of Luke Hebert's Engineer's and Mechanic's Encyclopaedia (London: Thomas Kelly) includes a complimentary article on the "Heaton", which includes many technical details. In his second edition (1849) Hebert records: "The patentees had the remarkable candour to acknowledge publicly the failure of their scheme".

[As the patent of 1830 reveals, the Heaton Brothers comprised John, William, George and Reuben Heaton. In the 1820s they founded a factory (Shadwell Street Mills) where wire button shanks were manufactured. By the end of the 1820s they had diversified into brass moulding, desk railing, brass and copper wire, stair rod metal rollers, smith's work and astragal manufacture. On 24 December 1838 (by which time John Heaton had died) William Heaton left the partnership. The Heaton Brothers were probably related to Ralph Heaton II, who founded the Birmingham Mint in 1850, though I have been unable to determine the relationship.]
 
Thanks - decided to go for some mods. How many alter egos does one need before getting classified?
 
No worries - its only when I have the bit between my teeth or when I start walking backwards for Christmas...:DanceMoonwalker:
 
Having carried out some in depth reseach I find that Aiden Steam Man Molesworth was the first product to emerge from the Captain Molesworth Steam Man & Other Mechanical Oddities Co. Ltd. Having failed to interest the Midland Red in Steam Man propulsion, development work was carried out on a petrol version , the Adrian Petrol Man Molesworth but passengers found the exhaust fumes unbearable, (regret no known pictures existing) However the company continued development and turning to battery electrics in the early 1950's came up with Robot Archie Molesworth Mk I. A prototype was built and extensive tests were chronicled in the Lion Comic of the time, R.A.M. Mk II followed with the addition of a mouth to give audible warning of approach. The success of R.A.M. Mk II led to the development of the R.A.M. Mk III which surprisingly reverted to steam but details of which were kept secret during trials lest a competitor should steal the technology. Just when the company had produced a stockpile and were about to launch this new version, a deal was struck with a Doctor Who who had an unusual mode of transport called a Tardis but which to all intents and purposes looked like an obsolete Police telephone box. The deal was that he would purchase the whole stock to be used as props in a series of BBC television programmes of his adventures. Unfortunately the R.A.M. Mk III having been given computerised brains and not wanting to join the Doctor, hijacked the Tardis during delivery to Broadcasting House and set up their own colony on a spare planet just outside Earth. They set up a firm called the Cosmos Yonder Being Engineering Research Co. Ltd. (C.Y.B.E.R. Co. Ltd.) and renamed the R.A.M. Mk III as the Cyber Man Mk I and vowed to introduce Steam Cyber Men to dominate the the World market in pulling buses and goods vehicles. Thanks to the efforts of the good Doctor this has not yet happened but development still takes place at the C.Y.B.E.R. works and currently they are up to the Cyber Man Mk VI. Those Molesworths have got a lot to answer for.
 
motorman-mike said:
Having carried out some in depth research ...
Click to expand...

Motorman, thanks for that fascinating history of the CMSM&OMO "RAM" steam- (and other-) powered public transport technology. In 1921 the Molesworth company merged with the Czech firm Rossum's Univeral Robots (managing director Karel Čapek), going on to produce the female Maschinenmensch (variously known as Delusion, False Maria, Futura, Hel, Parody, Robotrix and Ultima) for Fritz Lang's 1927 movie Metropolis. [Which reminds me: Motorman, the next assignment for your well-developed research skills is to discover the whereabouts of the "gurls" who graced the BSB classroom for a brief but wonderful interlude a few days ago. ;)] Less well-known is CMSM&OMO-RUR involvement in the US space program in the 1960s, this important "Chubby" prototype sadly being lost in space.
 
Lloyd said:
Re- the 'Steam Man' - there can only be one answer...
Click to expand...

Lloyd, your weird and wonderful "Steam Horse" engraving reminds me of the 1813 "Mechanical Traveller" designed and built by William Brunton (1777-1851). This "walking locomotive" was also known as "Steam Horse" and "Iron Horse". Sadly it's boiler exploded on 31 July 1815 (some sources incorrectly say 7 August) at John Douthwaite Nesham's Newbottle Colliery at Philadelphia (County Durham), injuring 57 people (of whom perhaps 13 died).

Pictured below: [1] the Brunton "Steam Horse"; [2] a chart showing how dangerous mining was in the northern counties in the 19th century.

[Sources: Wikipedia links in the above text; Durham Mining Museum; Catskill Archive; M A Richardson's Local Historian's Table Book (1841-1846).]

[Phineas Thylacine, take 100 lines: "I must not mention railway locomotives in the BSB classroom for fear of the BHF School Governors cancelling my contract". Where's that Molesworth-Peason? ;)]
 
Directors of Heatons Steam Carriage Co 1833.

A quick check of the internet, and of the London Gazette 1830-1839, yields the following meagre new information concerning the members of the Heatons Steam Carriage Co "committee pro tem" of 7 October 1833:

John Barwell: Birmingham "dealer in metal"; subscriber of £1,500 to the Kent Railway 1837.
John Blakemore: NOTHING (though re-incarnated as Birmingham CIty Council's present Chief Highway Engineer, who swamps the search engines! :rolleyes:).
Jesse Greaves: 1776 Birmingham - 1848 Cheltenham; married Susanna Roylance Smith at Aston on 29 June 1801; pocket book maker (?).
Henry Grimblett: NOTHING (but should probably be Henry Gimblett: auctioneer and surveyor; dead by 1837 (?)).
Henry Merry: brass founder in Cherry Street, Birmingham, in partnership with Theophilus Merry 1833; inventor of "nickel silver", a copper-nickel-zinc alloy; metal dealer, trustee of estate and effects of bankrupt Joseph Phipson (former director of LBSC) 1836; partnership with spoon maker John Wright (and Theophilus Merry) dissolved 1838.
Robert Packer: NOTHING.
Joseph Pickard: NOTHING.

[So it's over to the BHF sleuths for further research. HELP PLEASE! :)]
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top