The Agenoria: The Basics

The story of the locomotive with the longest chimney, and her American sister.

[@NJPurling]

The wheels have some ferocious wear. A working life of fifty years is amazing for such an early locomotive AND to stay original.

[@hedgehog3180]

It's kinda mind boggling to think that The Agenoria has been a museum piece for the majority of it's life at this point. That's how old it is.

[@AnthonyDawsonHistory]

Crazy isn't it?

[@johnjephcote7636]

I remember entering the old York museum, when the present one was still a loco shed. The Agenoria was the first and most impressive item I beheld.

[@FQP-7024]

The sheer size comparison with that streamline is absolutely astounding but at the same time I absolutely love it it shows how far we have gone since the early 19th century

[@wiltothecollector4420]

This series is absolutely brilliant

[@AnthonyDawsonHistory]

Thankyou

[@MJC19]

I finally got to see her in October this year! That chimney is still as impressive in photos but more so in person!

[@AnthonyDawsonHistory]

*Chimney. It's not a boat. Ships have funnels. Locomotives have chimneys! 🙂

[@richarddyasonihc]

I have visited the NRM In York, twice, but to appreciate it properly I would suggest that you would have spend two or three whole days.

[@jeanbonnefoy1377]

0:45 Interesingly enough (and quite surprising for the date), the use of a counterweight on the drive wheel!

[@rprodgers1]

I understand Rastrick’s factory where Agenoria etc were built is still there in Stourbridge.

[@mattsmocs3281]

Heres a idea. For 2029 have the Lion and The Agenoria reunite. Possibly in Stourbridge UK or Honesdale (which can also include the Colonie shop built replica.) as these 2 are the last relics of there era. Why not join them once more.

[@AnthonyDawsonHistory]

Would be rather jolly wouldn't it?

[@vsvnrg3263]

excellent

[@naturespecialist1489]

0:10 Agenoria:" Oh yes its my turn to tell my story young engines and people." 6229 Duchess Of Hamilton: "A story how nice."

[@404rimless9]

Anthony, sorry, just detected your channel and i‘m about to „Review“ it. Let‘s say it so: I already knew most historic steam locos, but rather by their names. At this point i have learned much more about the initial railway world and i‘m also willing to buy your books. That, for me as a german, can get difficult, but i will try! And what about your accent, what is the background? I find it very pleasant! Regards, Thomas

[@AnthonyDawsonHistory]

Hallo Thomas. Danke für Ihre netten Worte. Ich komme aus Yorkshire. Grüße, Anthony

[@warriorstar2517]

Kind of strange that the nameplates are on the balance weights. I wonder how many other locomotives were like that?

[@furripupau]

I've read that Rastrick did not build any locomotives after these, and I have to wonder, why not? He remained active in railway engineering for the rest of his life, so it does seem curious. It also seems odd that he was in favor of stationary engines and rope haulage over the use of locomotives, when giving his opinions on motive power for the L&M, yet built Agenoria anyway. Had he formed that opinion before or after Agenoria had been built?

[@AnthonyDawsonHistory]

Rastrick and Walker had visited every locomotive worked railway in the country; I think their assessment is fair to be honest. The locomotives they would have encountered were slow, not designed for speed or going any great distance. What the Liverpool & Manchester Railway was asking of the locomotive was completely new - to operate a regular, time tabled, relatively fast service of passengers and goods over a distance of thirty miles. No one had done that before. One can completely understand their caution. Agenoria, and her sisters, were being built whilst Rastrick and Walker were doing their tour of the North. One of them was certainly under construction in the January of 1829. The Agenoria, compared to others then in use, was perhaps the most up to date locomotive in the country when first run in June 1829. Certainly the Liverpool & Manchester sent a delegation to observe and they reported incredbily favourably and used it as ammunition in the pro-locomotive debate. The Agenoria was designed to work a short (3 3/4 mile) colliery line - the type of function that all locomotives hitherto had been designed for and where they had worked since 1812. So in that regard Rastrick building a locomotive for a short colliery line was using an existing technology in an existing context. As to why he didn't build any more? We just don't know. He could have become a major player in the locomotive field and rivalled Robert Stephenson, but for whatever reason - probably financial and the risk involved. Even after the Liverpool & Manchester was opened, the success of railways and locomotives was not a fore-gone conclusion. We can sit back in 2020 and view it all with Whiggish optimism but 200 years ago it wasn't quite so clear. Hope this helps :-)

[@furripupau]

@@AnthonyDawsonHistory Interesting to know. I had read Hackworth's and Stephenson's letters back and forth on the subject of Rastrick's survey, but I've never read Rastrick's opinions on their own. Thank you!

[@MokkaHaii]

holy shit, talk about a long chimney on that thing

[@16jan1986]

If you had made the the loading gauge to fit her you would have had decent size locos

[@AnthonyDawsonHistory]

The giraffe-like chimney is a result of a "restoration" in the 1880s. Probably unlikely to have been that tall in reality.

[@garryferrington811]

People just don't adumbrate anymore.

[@TheGemDoctor]

Sadly so few of us aspire to such sesquipedalian eloquence.

[@malcolmtaylor518]

Wasn't the crank action known as grasshopper?

[@AnthonyDawsonHistory]

Yes. nick-named 'grasshopper' but correctly Freemantle, after its designer William Freemantle.

[@liverpoolandmanchesterrailway]

You do voices now??

[@Steamerthesteamtrain]

Why does it have such a tall stack?

[@AnthonyDawsonHistory]

It's got such a tall chimney to help the fire draw when lighting the fire and when stationary the exhaust steam wasnt going up the chimney to help the fire draw. There were no blowers in those days to create an arteficial draught in the chimney to help the fire, so a tall chimney, which tapered towards its top, would help the fire. Most early locomotives had very tall chimneys for this reason. Hope that helps :-)

[@malcolmtaylor518]

Probably didn't have steam blast from the cylinders to draw the fire, but not sure. Single flue wouldn't have helped either.

[@eliotreader8220]

do we know what the Americans used to fire up Lion the sister engine to Agernoria? did the Americans want their engine to be capable of burning firewood if they where not able to get any steam coal? as far as I know there no mention of what fuel they used?

[@AnthonyDawsonHistory]

It was built as a coal burner. So presumably they burned coal, as I dont think that type of boiler would be too happy with wood as the firebox would simply not be big enough.

[@malcolmtaylor518]

@@AnthonyDawsonHistory not coke then?

[@AnthonyDawsonHistory]

@@malcolmtaylor518 The Agenoria was a colliery engine on a private colliery railway. There was no legal requirement for them to burn coke. Coke-burning only applied to public railways.

[@ScottRuggels]

In that part of the U.S. at the time, coal was common and plentiful. Wood Burners became common in the south and the west, where there wasn't an easy supply of coal.

[@eliotreader8220]

@@ScottRuggels sorry about that It's just that I thought that nearly all early steam locomotives in America burned wood like those I have seen in Cowboy films

[@jimmynswgr]

I enjoy your series, however as unkind as it is for me to say it could do without the silly voices.