Puffing Billy c1860 (photo mounted on card)

0-4-0 tender steam locomotive `Puffing Billy' with 4 men standing on and around locomotive. ‘Puffing Billy. Designed by Christopher Blackett. Now in South Kensington. This engine was constructed in 1813, by Jonathon Forster, Engineer of Wylam Colliery - under the superintendence of Mr. Blackett, the owner, and Mr. Hadley, Viewer of that Colliery - to haul coal - laden waggons along a Railroad to Lemington, where the coals were stuffed in keels. This Railroad has been substituted for the old Tramroad, between the years 1807 when it was commenced, and 1811 when it was completed.’ Wylam is situated close to the north bank of the Tyne, in the parish of Ovingham, and about 9 miles west-by-north from Newcastle. John Blackett (1712-1779) established coal mining and Wylam Colliery in the township in the mid-18th century The Blackett family were keenly involved in the development of steam power for the improvement of coal transportation;the waggonway connecting the colliery to the River Tyne at Lemington was built in 1748 and the colliery continued to flourish until about 1870. Puffing Billy was built 1813 and remained in service at the colliery until 1862, when it was lent to the Patent Office Museum in South Kensington, which became the Science Museum. It is the oldest surviving locomotive in the world.