Plaque

London steam carriage

Inscription

William Felton's carriage works was close to this spot. In 1803 he built a carriage powered by a steam engine designed and supplied by Richard Trevithick, the great Cornish engineer. The carriage made several trips from here with up to about 8 passengers. In July of that year, one trip was made via Greys Inn Lane, Dorset Square and Tottenham Court Road to Paddington, returning the same day via Islington. This was the first self-powered vehicle to run in the streets of London and the world's first self-powered road people carrier.
The London Steam Carriage heralded the age of the car.

Site: London steam carriage (1 memorial)

EC1, Leather Lane, 54

This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
London steam carriage

Subjects commemorated i

William Felton

It was in William Felton's carriage works in Leather Lane that Trevithick's ...

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Richard Trevithick

Pioneer of high pressure steam. Born in Illogan, Cornwall. In 1803 he drove a...

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London steam carriage

Londonist have a piece on this early manifestation of the car and steam locom...

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