Model steam locomotive - St. Etienne-Lyon Railway

Model steam locomotive, scale 1:10, St. Etienne-Lyon Railway, working model of Marc Seguin's first locomotive and tender, 1829.

This model represents the first locomotive constructed in France for the St. Etienne-Lyon Railway and is notable as being fitted with a multi-tubular boiler, which although patented by Marc Seguin in 1827 was not applied to his locomotives until 1829.

The engine had two vertical cylinders, which were bolted to the frame, one on each side of the boiler with the piston rods projected upwards guided by simple Watt parallel motions. From the ends of the long cross-heads return connecting rods descended into crank pins in the wheels, which were also coupled by side rods. The valves were driven by levers and tappet rods operated by the cross-heads, hand levers being provided for reversing.

Seguin had visited the Stockton & Darlington Railway shortly after it had opened in 1825 and purchased two of Robert Stephenson & Co.s locomotives. Unfortunately these engines did not adapt well to the line of the St. Etienne-Lyon Railway. Seguin therefore presented two engines of his own design to the railway.