1-151-063 - Oxford Science Archive/Heritage Images

Brandreth's horse powered locomotive 'Cycloped', 1829. Plate taken from History and Progress of the Steam Engine, 1831 by Elijah Galloway. The Cycloped, owned by Thomas Brandreth, took part in the Rainhill Trials of 1829 which was a competition to find the most suitable locomotive for haulage on the Liverpool & Manchester Railway. Powered by a horse walking on a drive belt, it was withdrawn from the competition after the horse fell through the belt after only reaching a speed of five miles per hour. The competition was won by Stephenson's 'Rocket'.