This is a list of locomotives that were used or trialled on the Liverpool and Manchester Railway (L&MR) during its construction, at the Rainhill Trials, and until absorption by the Grand Junction Railway in 1845.

The rate of progress led to quite a rapid turnover in the operating roster. Writing in 1835, Count de Pambour found that of the L&MR's then thirty engines, ten were seen as obsolete and day-to-day work was concentrated on only ten or eleven of the remainder, the remaining third being under repair or kept as backup.: "... about one-third are useless. They are the most ancient, which, having been constructed at the first establishment of the railway, at a time when the company had not yet obtained sufficient experience in that respect, are found now to be out of proportion with the work required of them. The engines actually in daily activity on the road amount to about 10 or 11, and with an equal number in repair or reserve that business might completely be ensured. This is in fact what happens at present, the surplus, above that number being nearly abandoned." By 1840 only ten remained of the first 32 engines; and of a list of engines in use in 1844, fewer than half were even five years old.

Locomotives were often also substantially rebuilt. According to de Pambour again, observing the railway in 1834, "... what is meant by repairs to the engines is nothing less than their complete re-construction; that is to say that when an engine requires any repair, unless it is for some trifling accident, it is taken to pieces and a new one is constructed, which receives the same name as the first, and in the construction of which are made to serve all such parts of the old engine as are still capable of being used with advantage. The consequence of this is that a reconstructed or repaired engine is literally a new one. The repairs amount thus to considerable sums, but they include also the renewal of the engines."

Locomotives

L&MRNo. Name Builder BuilderNo. Date built Wheelarrangement LNWRNo. Notes Lancashire Witch Robert Stephenson and Company 1828 0-4-0 — Built for Bolton and Leigh Railway but leased to L&MR. Twin Sisters Robert Stephenson and Company 1829 0-6-0 — Twin vertical boilers. Used in the construction of the line. Cycloped Thomas Shaw Brandreth 1829 — Horse powered, unsuccessful Rainhill Trials entrant. Novelty Ericsson & Braithwaite 1829 0-2-2VBWT — Rebuilt by Robert Daglish and sold to St Helens and Runcorn Gap Railway 3 August 1833. Replica built in 1929 incorporates original wheels and one cylinder. Perseverance Timothy Burstall 1829 0-4-0 — Sans Pareil Timothy Hackworth 1829 0-4-0 — Leased to Bolton and Leigh Railway in 1831 William IV Ericsson & Braithwaite 1830 0-2-2 — Queen Adelaide Ericsson & Braithwaite 1830 0-2-2 — Liverpool Edward Bury and Company 1830 0-4-0 — First of the Bury Bar Frame locomotives. Ran well, but strongly opposed by George Stephenson. Finally vetoed because of its 6-foot large wheels. Manchester Galloway, Bowman & Glasgow 1831 2-2-0 — Hecate — 1 Rocket Robert Stephenson and Company 19 1829 0-2-2 — Participated in Opening Ceremony, driven by Joseph Locke Sold to Lord Carlisle, donated to Patent Office Museum in 1862. Preserved. Contrary to popular belief, George Stephenson had nothing to do with the design or building of this locomotive. 2 Arrow Robert Stephenson and Company 1830 0-2-2 — Baxter states names as: 2 Meteor; 3 Comet; 4 Arrow; 5 Dart. Participated in Opening Ceremony, driven by Frederick Swanwick. Had previously pulled the first full Directors' run, from Liverpool to Manchester and back, on 14 June 1830. 3 Wildfire Robert Stephenson and Company 1830 0-2-2 — Later renamed Meteor 4 Dart Robert Stephenson and Company 1830 0-2-2 — Participated in Opening Ceremony, driven by Thomas Gooch. 5 Comet Robert Stephenson and Company 1830 0-2-2 — Participated in Opening Ceremony, driven by William Allcard. 6 Phoenix Robert Stephenson and Company 1830 0-2-2 — Participated in Opening Ceremony, driven by Robert Stephenson 7 Northumbrian Robert Stephenson and Company 1830 0-2-2 — Baxter states names as: 7 North Star; 8 Northumbrian. Enlarged version of Rocket, Lead locomotive in opening procession, driven by George Stephenson Extracted from Frederick S. Williams (1883, 2e), Our Iron Roads. 8 North Star Robert Stephenson and Company 1830 0-2-2 — Participated in opening ceremony. 9 Planet Robert Stephenson and Company 1830 2-2-0 — 10 Majestic Robert Stephenson and Company 1830 2-2-0 — Listed as 2-2-0 in L&M record, but may have been 0-2-2 similar to Northumbrian 11 Mercury Robert Stephenson and Company 1830 2-2-0 — Rebuilt as 2-2-2 in 1833 12 Mars Robert Stephenson and Company 1830 2-2-0 — 13 Samson Robert Stephenson and Company 1831 0-4-0 —   For media, see 14 Jupiter Robert Stephenson and Company 1831 2-2-0 — 15 Goliah Robert Stephenson and Company 1831 0-4-0 — Name also listed as Goliath 16 Saturn Robert Stephenson and Company 1831 2-2-0 — 17 Sun Robert Stephenson and Company 1831 2-2-0 — 18 Venus Robert Stephenson and Company 1831 2-2-0 — 19 Vulcan Fenton, Murray & Co. 1831 2-2-0 — 20 Etna Robert Stephenson and Company 1831 2-2-0 — 21 Fury Fenton, Murray & Co. 1831 2-2-0 — 22 Victory Robert Stephenson and Company 1831 2-2-0 — 23 Atlas Robert Stephenson and Company 1832 0-4-0 — Rebuilt as 0-4-2, Renewed in 1842 as No. 81 24 Vesta Robert Stephenson and Company 1832 2-2-0 — 25 Milo Robert Stephenson and Company 1832 0-4-0 — 26 Liver Edward Bury and Company 1832 2-2-0 — Between Jan 1832 and Mar 1834 Liver worked a greater mileage than any other locomotive."Work done by the ten best engines of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, during the years 1831, 1832, 1833 and the first twelve weeks of 1834", from François Marie Guyonneau de Pambour (1836), A practical treatise on locomotive engines upon railways, pp 336–338; quoted in Mechanics Magazine, 25, 292 (1836), and elsewhere. In trials against Planet in June 1832 Liver was found to be more economical; but there were no further orders. 27 Pluto Robert Stephenson and Company 1832 2-2-0 127 † Rebuilt as 2-2-2 in 1841; renumbered 9. 28 Caledonian Galloway, Bowman & Glasgow 1832 0-4-0 — 29 Ajax Robert Stephenson and Company 1832 2-2-0 — 30 Leeds Fenton, Murray & Co. 1833 2-2-0 — 31 Firefly Robert Stephenson and Company 1833 2-2-0 — 32 Experiment Sharp, Roberts and Company 1833 2-2-0 — Driven by bell cranks. 33 Patentee Robert Stephenson and Company 1834 2-2-2 — 34 Titan Charles Tayleur and Company 8 1834 0-4-0 — Rebuilt as 0-4-2 35 Orion Charles Tayleur and Company 9 1834 0-4-0 — Rebuilt as 0-4-2 36 Swiftsure George Forrester and Company 1834 2-2-0 — A "Boxer", with outside cylinders; rebuilt as 2-2-2 37 Rapid Charles Tayleur and Company 17 1835 2-2-2 — 38 Speedwell Charles Tayleur and Company 19 1835 2-2-2 — 39 Hercules Mather, Dixon and Company 1835 0-4-0 — Rebuilt as 0-4-2 40 Eclipse Charles Tayleur and Company 29 1835 0-4-2 — Rebuilt as 0-4-2 41 Star Charles Tayleur and Company 30 1836 2-2-2 165 Renumbered 53; rebuilt as 0-4-2 42 York Charles Tayleur and Company 31 1836 0-4-2 — 43 Vesuvius Haigh Foundry 1836 2-2-2 — 44 Thunderer Mather, Dixon and Company 1836 0-4-2 — 45 Lightning Haigh Foundry 1836 2-2-2 114 46 Cyclops Haigh Foundry 1836 2-2-2 — Modified in 1839 by John Gray with expansion gear. 47 Milo Charles Tayleur and Company 32 1836 2-2-2 — 48 Dart Mather, Dixon and Company 1836 2-2-2 — 49 Phoenix Charles Tayleur and Company 33 1836 2-2-2 — 50 Majestic Charles Tayleur and Company 46 1837 2-2-2 — 51 Etna Charles Tayleur and Company 47 1837 2-2-2 — 52 Arrow Mather, Dixon and Company 1837 2-2-2 — 53 Sun R & W Hawthorn 1837 2-2-2 164 54 Meteor Mather, Dixon and Company 1837 2-2-2 115 † 55 Comet Mather, Dixon and Company 1837 2-2-2 166 56 Vesta R & W Hawthorn 1837 2-2-2 — 57 Lion Todd, Kitson & Laird 1838 0-4-2 116 Sold to Mersey Docks in 1859 for use as a stationary pump, worked in that role until 1928. Preserved. 58 Tiger Todd, Kitson & Laird 1838 0-4-2 117 Scrapped in 1850 59 Rokeby Rothwell and Company 1838 2-2-2 — Renumbered 52 60 Roderic Rothwell and Company 1838 2-2-2 118 Renumbered 20 61 Mammoth T. Banks & Co. 1839 0-4-2 — Renumbered 30 62 Leopard Todd, Kitson & Laird 1839 2-2-2 — 63 Mastodon T. Banks & Co. 1839 2-2-2 119 Renumbered 56 64 Panther Todd, Kitson & Laird 1839 2-2-2 — 65 Elephant Todd, Kitson & Laird 1839 0-4-2 113 Renumbered 34 66 Samson Benjamin Hick and Sons 1839 0-4-2 120 renumbered 35 67 Buffalo Todd, Kitson & Laird 1839 0-4-2 121121A1106 Renumbered 50; rebuilt as 2-2-2T in 1860 68 Goliah Benjamin Hick and Sons 1839 0-4-2 122 Renumbered 51. Name also listed as Goliath 69 Victoria Mather, Dixon and Company 1839 2-2-2or0-4-2 123 Renumbered 1 in 1841 69 Swallow L&M Edge Hill Works 2-2-2 128 70 Martin L&M Edge Hill Works 2-2-2 129 71 Kingfisher L&M Edge Hill Works 2-2-2 131 72 Heron L&M Edge Hill Works 2-2-2 130 73 Pelican L&M Edge Hill Works 2-2-2 132 74 Ostrich L&M Edge Hill Works 2-2-2 133 75 Owl L&M Edge Hill Works 0-4-2 134 76 Bat L&M Edge Hill Works 0-4-2 135 77 Stork L&M Edge Hill Works 2-2-2 136 78 Crane L&M Edge Hill Works 2-2-2 137 79 Swan L&M Edge Hill Works 2-2-2 138 80 Cygnet L&M Edge Hill Works 2-2-2 139 81 Atlas L&M Edge Hill Works 0-4-2 140 82 Pheasant L&M Edge Hill Works 2-2-2 141 83 Partridge L&M Edge Hill Works 2-2-2 126 84 Bittern L&M Edge Hill Works 0-4-2 142 85 Lapwing L&M Edge Hill Works 0-4-2 143 86 Raven L&M Edge Hill Works 0-4-2 144 87 Crow L&M Edge Hill Works 0-4-2 145 88 Redwing L&M Edge Hill Works 2-2-2 146 89 Woodlark L&M Edge Hill Works 2-2-2 147 90 Penguin L&M Edge Hill Works 0-4-2 148 91 Petrel L&M Edge Hill Works 0-4-2 149 92 Linnet L&M Edge Hill Works 2-2-2 150 93 Goldfinch L&M Edge Hill Works 2-2-2 151 94 Bullfinch L&M Edge Hill Works 2-2-2 152 95 Chaffinch L&M Edge Hill Works 2-2-2 153 96 Starling L&M Edge Hill Works 0-4-2 154 97 Owzell L&M Edge Hill Works 0-4-2 155 98 Redstart L&M Edge Hill Works 0-4-2 156 99 Redbreast L&M Edge Hill Works 0-4-2 157 100 Condor L&M Edge Hill Works 2-2-2 158 101 Adjutant L&M Edge Hill Works 0-4-2 159 102 Flamingo L&M Edge Hill Works 0-4-2 160 103 Cuckoo L&M Edge Hill Works 0-4-2 161 104 Albatross L&M Edge Hill Works 0-4-2 162 106 Osprey L&M Edge Hill Works 0-4-2 163 † Number allocated but not applied

References

Further reading

Williams, Frederick S. (1852/1888). Our Iron Roads.