Dating from 1829 Stephenson's 'Rocket' has its place firmly in

railway history being the winning design of the fabled Rainhill trials. Ignoring the yellow operational repicas this one at the Science Museum is the original locomotive characterised by its revised piston layout that are only just above the horizontal rather than being at forty-five degrees as built. It was operational until 1862 after a number of further experimental modifications but advancements in steam technology had largely overtaken it by then.