Perseverance

Resource Type: Image | Posted on 24th October 2011 by Liam Physick

One of the images donated to Metal by Eric Shenton. The Perseverance was another of the failed entrants in the Rainhill Trials, and, like the Cycloped, was never in contention to win the prize. Designed by Timothy Burstall, its chain failed en route to Rainhill, and Burstall was forced to spend the first five days of the competition repairing it. As a result, contemporary newspaper reports barely mention the Perseverance, and there is even doubt over how it looked, though we know that it was a tank engine, like the Novelty. It was finally able to run briefly on 14th October, the final day, but could go no faster than six miles per hour. It lacked adhesion, as its wheels were not coupled together, and its speed could not be varied. It was therefore withdrawn from a competition it clearly had no chance of winning. However, Burstall was awarded a £25 consolation prize towards his expenses to compensate him for the locomotive’s failure, and it used roller bearings for the axles, an important step in locomotive development

Tagged under: steam locomotives, eric shenton, rainhill trials, tank locomotives, novelty, perseverance, timothy burstall, cycloped

Categorised under: Landmarks, Landscapes & Locomotives