Thursday 25 March 2010

Dr Church's steam coach: 1830s vapourware

image from print in Globe Hotel, Topsham

Having touched on the topic of road trains in the Pavane post a couple of years back, I've kept meaning to check out the background of the excellently steampunk vehicle, Dr Church's London and Birmingham Steam Coach, depicted in the above print. The image proves to be quite widespread; see, for instance, the Science and Society Picture Library page - Picture Reference: 10420391 - whose caption says:

Engraving by Josiah Allen after John Cooke showing the steam carriage designed and built by Dr Church of Birmingham in 1833. The carriage operated on a daily basis between Birmingham and London, at an average speed of 14 miles per hour. It had an unusual design, with three solid wheels, and could carry 44 passengers, 22 inside the carriage and 22 outside. Steam-powered coaches operated between various English towns between 1820 and 1840. The increased popularity of the rapidly expanding railway network, as well as opposition from operators of horse-drawn coaches, who physically blocked roads and persuaded the government to impose crippling tolls, was largely responsible for driving the steam coaches out of business.

The Science and Society Picture Library has another nice image -Image Ref. 10420069 - showing the machine in profile.

However, looking at more contemporary sources, it appears that Dr Church's coach was never a going concern. The couple of decades after 1820 were indeed a boom time for steam road travel, and the London and Birmingham Steam Carriage Company (formed in 1832 "with equal parts confidence, conviction and capital" 1) was one of many companies formed or projected to work steam carriages. "Dr Church" was William Church, a Vermont-born American inventor who had already devised an innovative typesetting machine. After moving to Bordesley Green, Birmingham, he took out a number of patents including ones pertaining to steam transportation (see Birmingham City Archives). Even at the start, there were doubts: in June 1832 a Mr "JHB" wrote to Mechanics' Magazine ...

Allow me, through the medium of your useful Journal, to ask the projectors of the " Birmingham Steam Carriage Company" ... if they have ever made any trial of their machine, either on a turnpike or other road. I am an inhabitant of Birmingham, and have heard a great deal said of the merits of Dr. Church and his new invented carriage, and what it it capable of doing, hut I canuot find on what road any experiment has ever been made to satisfy the public that it is capable, as alleged, of "taking a weight of fifteen tons fifteen miles an hour," and of "ascending any hills upon the turnpike-roads." ... I think the public should not be entrapped into a delusive scheme before the machine in question has had one public and decisive trial.

... and in November 1833 a "Junius Redivivius" sent to the same magazine a sarcastic but essentially sound critique - The Steam-Carriage Projectors - of the likely accuracy of the print, such as the inadequacy of the steering mechanism and the inaccurate proportions of the passengers to the supposedly eight-foot wheels.

William Fletcher's 1891 History and Development of Steam Locomotion on Common Roads (Internet Archive cu31924022808731) tells what happened next (see pages 104-107): the demo didn't take place until 1835, when it made it three miles down the Coventry Road out of the factory and sustained damage turning. In 1836, a number of publications carried the news (undoubtedly advertorial) that everything was fine:

We have much pleasure in stating that Dr. Church has at length completely and satisfactorily accomplished the construction of a steam-carriage, in every way suited to run on ordinary roads ... We have only space to say further, that the Birmingham and London Steam-carriage Company, with whom the Doctor is connected in this invention, are perfectly satisfied with the carriage as now completed ; and though alterations and shght improvements may and will necessarily be adopted in the future exercise of the plans, yet they deem the present carriage to be so fully effective and satisfactory, that they have advertised for a practical engineer to superintend the erection of a sufficient number of these carriages at their works, exactly according with the model produced.

We understand it to be the intention of the company to establish three stations between London and Birmingham for their trains of carriages to halt at, and to supply a fresh locomotive engine at each station, in order that the engines, after running about twenty-six miles, may be severally examined, and such little matters as cleaning, oiling, and adjusting parts attended to: which arrangement will avoid subjecting passengers to the inconvenience of delay, and tend greatly to prevent accidents.

We have only to add, that having witnessed the manner in which this carriage performs its duty on the public road, we have no hesitation in saying that we are now statisfied steam may be safely, and, we believe, economically employed, in connexion .with Dr. Church's improved machinery, as an effective substitute for horses, in the ordinary transit of stage-coach passengers on all the turnpike roads in the kingdom.
- page 386, The London Journal of Arts and Sciences, 1836

But as History and Development of Steam Locomotion on Common Roads says, it never happened. "This scheme was never practically accomplished; the carriages were constantly brought out, and as constantly failed". The proposed details of the London-Birmingham service, however, have trundled on as a factoid until now they've become repeated as fact.

Addendum: Peter Walford kindly supplied confirmation:

Thanks, Ray Girvan, for exposing the "Dr" Church steam carriage "vapourware" (I don't believe he was any kind of doctor). The false story of a daily 14 mph Birmingham – London service has become a ubiquitous internet "meme". The London and Birmingham Steam Carriage Co (LBSC) was projected in 1832 with a capital of £200,000 in £20 shares, allegedly over-subscribed. The chairman was colourful Birmingham financier and pioneer alderman Henry Van Wart (1784-1873) who like Church was American-born. It is alleged that LBSC was established by act of parliament, but it seems rather to have been established by an "indenture or deed of settlement" dated 3 Nov 1834. The company was dissolved by its directors on 11 May 1837, as is announced by aptly-named LBSC secretary W R Kettle in the only London Gazette entry relating directly to LBSC. There is only one other London Gazette entry (13 Jan 1837) that mentions LBSC. This relates to bankrupt "button and military ornament manufacturer, dealer and chapman" Joseph Phipson, whose "shares and interest" in LBSC were part of the assets under consideration.

Thanks very much, Peter. The false story is presumably given weight by the Science Museum endorsement of appearing in the Science and Society Picture Library image caption.

A road not taken

The whole area of steam road transport is an interesting, if geeky, historical "road not taken". The idea was promising, but one fighting against a mess of social, financial and technological factors, of which a major one was the perceived cost of maintaining roads torn up by these big heavy machines. Whether Dr Church's setup was scammy or just ill-planned, there were a number of ventures that worked well, such as that of Gurney and Dance - but they were scuppered by crippling tolls on steam vehicles adopted in 1831. In 1836, a parliamentary bill supported by Gurney ("An act to repeal such portions of all acts as impose prohibitory tolls on steam carriages, and to substitute other tolls on a equitable footing with horse carriages") was passed by the House of Commons, but failed in the House of Lords. The later Locomotive Acts maintained the situation.

There are plenty of good books on the era. A few samplers:


1. p. 135, Automobile quarterly, Volume 5, Issue 2, 1966, Princeton Institute for Historic Research.
- Ray

10 comments:

  1. You sure that thing isn't a steamroller that wandered off the reservation?

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  2. Could be! I can't find the citation at this instant, but at least one modern commentator has argued that the whole ripping-up-the-road argument to ban them was bogus: that the big wide wheels actually would have flattened the road and done less damage than narrow cartwheels and horses' hooves.

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  3. It's hard to imagine that something that large and heavy running on solid wheels could have sustained 15mph on what passed for roads at that time. What did it do for grip? It must have needed a lot of coal, too!

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  4. What did it do for grip?

    Well, F = μ * N (frictional force = coefficient of friction times normal reaction) - meaning something really heavy has grip even if the contacting surfaces are moderately slippery at low loads; think of trains.

    But it doesn't seem likely. The Gurney steam coach, that did achieve around that speed workably, was more of a lightweight motorised carriage.

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  5. Thanks, Ray Girvan, for exposing the "Dr" Church steam carriage "vapourware" (I don't believe he was any kind of doctor). The false story of a daily 14 mph Birmingham – London service has become a ubiquitous internet "meme". The London and Birmingham Steam Carriage Co (LBSC) was projected in 1832 with a capital of £200,000 in £20 shares, allegedly over-subscribed. The chairman was colourful Birmingham financier and pioneer alderman Henry Van Wart (1784-1873) who like Church was American-born. It is alleged that LBSC was established by act of parliament, but it seems rather to have been established by an "indenture or deed of settlement" dated 3 Nov 1834. The company was dissolved by its directors on 11 May 1837, as is announced by aptly-named LBSC secretary W R Kettle in the only London Gazette entry relating directly to LBSC. There is only one other London Gazette entry (13 Jan 1837) that mentions LBSC. This relates to bankrupt "button and military ornament manufacturer, dealer and chapman" Joseph Phipson, whose "shares and interest" in LBSC were part of the assets under consideration.

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  6. Further research on William Church’s Birmingham steam bus experiment has revealed that I did him an injustice when I said that he wasn’t "any kind of doctor". He is listed in Pigot's 1835 Directory as "Church William, physician, Haywood House, Bordesley Green". In penance, I will now always call him "Dr Church"! As his Wikipedia biography describes, tragedy followed Dr Church in his later life. He built a steam locomotive which was named "Victoria", "Surprise" and "Eclipse" at various stages of its life. On 10 November 1840 its boiler exploded at Bromsgrove station, killing driver Thomas Scaife instantly and fatally injuring fireman John Rutherford.

    There was another steam bus venture in Birmingham at about the same time as Dr Church's. This was by the brothers W G and R Heaton (from a family later famous for their involvement in the Birmingham mint). This seems to have been conducted with more decorum and respectability, and ended in November 1834 when the Heatons Steam Carriage Co was wound up, paying investors £1 per share. I append two contemporary articles which give the flavour of the Heatons' experiment.

    Kind regards,

    Peter Walford.
    Latrobe, Tasmania.

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  7. From Peter Walford, as promised.

    Mechanics' Magazine, Museum, Register, Journal and Gazette. No 560 (3 May 1834). Letter to the Editor. [Somewhat edited.]

    Sir, — 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.

    The following paragraph appeared in the Birmingham Journal of the 12th instant: —

    "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."

    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.

    I am, sir, yours respectfully,

    W Baddeley.
    10 Wilderness Row, Goswell Street.
    April 28, 1834.

    [The phrase "the delusions practised elsewhere" possibly refers to Dr Church's venture.]

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  8. From Peter Walford (as promised).

    The Birmingham Journal (Monday 2 Sep 1833).

    Steam Carriage.

    On Wednesday last [28 Aug 1833], 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 stayed 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.

    [Quoted in The Pittsburgh Gazette (24 Oct 1833). Accessed through Google News 18 Apr 2010.]

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  9. Finding any information on steam coaches is difficult enough but to come across such interesting facts is sublime. I've had the picture of Dr Church's coach in my mind for over 40 years having once seen it in a book. It is a delightful notion that a giant Reliant Robin mated with a Steam roller ever went anywhere. Alas to find it was a not quite the jolly success it appeared.

    Presumably the fact that Steam Coaches didn't appear elsewhere indicates they were defeated by technology rather than legislation. Imagine trying to stop one!

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  10. question I have to old framed pictures of his how would I find out if they real??

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