The Train Now Arriving at Leeds is the Salamanca

Salamanca - unknown author, published in 1829

A globally important experiment took place in Leeds on Wednesday 26^th June 1812. Could horses be replaced by steam railway for bulk coal deliveries? An engine, constructed by Fenton, Murray and Wood of the Round Foundry in Holbeck from the patented plans of John Blenkinsop, was mounted on the rails at the mines in Middleton, and the experiment began.

The following Saturday, the Leeds Mercury wrote about how the experiment faired:

“On Wednesday last, a highly interesting experiment was made with a machine… for the purpose of substituting the agency of steam for the use of horses in the conveyance of coals on the iron-rail-way from the mines of J. C. Brandling, Esq. at Middleton, to Leeds”

Extract of Ordnance Survey Yorkshire Sheet CCXVIII.SW Revised: 1949, Published: 1950, Middleton Colliery here sits just east of the Northern end of Middleton Park today.

“The machine is, in fact, a steam engine of four horses’ power, which, with the assistance of cranks turning a cog-wheel, and iron cogs placed at one side of the railway, is capable of moving, when lightly loaded, at the speed of ten miles an hour.”

“At four o-clock in the afternoon, the machine ran from the coal-staithe at the top of Hunslet Moor, where six, and afterwards eight waggons of coals, each weighing 3 ¼ tons, were hooked to the back part. With this immense weight, to which, as it approached town, was super-added about 50 of the spectators mounted on the wagon… it set off on its return journey… a distance of about a mile and a half... in 23 minutes, without the slightest accident.”

The Collier, watercolour by George Walker, 1813, said to depict the Salamanca and Middleton Colliery

The experiment was hailed a success. At Mr. Brandling’s mines alone, it was immediately estimated that 50 horses could be retired, and the cost of food for 200 workmen could be saved.

The engine would be given the name Salamanca, after a battle during the Napoleonic Wars, and became the world’s first commercially successful locomotive. Remember learning about Stephenson’s Rocket? This came 17 years later.

A miniature recreation of the Salamanca is available to see at Leeds Industrial Museum, whilst part of the Middleton colliery railway line can still be travelled upon today, see Middleton Railway for details.

Found this story interesting? Hear about the Salamanca and lots more about Leeds’ industrial heritage on my Leeds Waterfront Heritage Tour.