IN THE BEGINNING LOCOMOTIVE NO. 1

NSW LOCOMOTIVE NO. 1

She is not pretty. Rather , the instant impression is "sturdy".

One of 4 Locomotives designed by James Mc Connell and built by Robert Stephenson and Company in the U.K. for the proposed Sydney to Parramatta railway, she arrived by sea in Sydney on 13th January, 1855, 160 years ago.  She was a "modern" locomotive!  The Copper capped chimney and the brass steam dome and safety valve etc. all evidence the pride taken in this modern technology and the confidence in progress then so well accepted.The design was based on a London and North Western Railway locomotive designed by McConnell only one year earlier.  No.1 is the only McConnell designed locomotive surviving in the world.

No.1 was to haul the very first train in NSW from Sydney to a viaduct near the present day suburb of Lewisham .The short trip was made on  Queen Victoria's Birthday on 24th May, 1855. But she missed out on the glory of running on the day of the official opening of the line to Parramatta on 26th September, 1955 since she was undergoing maintenance. The Honours went to her sister No.3 which took the 9.00 am train out to Parramatta. And the Grand Opening Official train at 12.00 Noon was taken out by sister locomotive No.2 . ( No.4 did not seem to fit into the arrangements for the day!)    

Weighing approx. 26 long tons, she carried in her tender 4 long tons of coal and 2,000 gallons of water. She produced a Tractive Effort of   8,900 lbs.  

No. 1 was retired in 1877 having run 156,542 Miles in her 22 years of service. 

We can be grateful for the decision and perseverance to preserve her. She is now a permanent exhibit at the Powerhouse Museum at Pyrmont in inner Sydney.