National ^Auseum's John Bull 



Figure 29. — Pre-1 900 photo of John Bull, oldest complete and operable loco- 

 motive in North America, now in National Museum. 



Probably the most famous and historic old locomotive in 

 the United States today is the John Bull, the oldest complete 

 and operable locomotive in the country (figure 29). Built in 

 England in 1831 by Robert Stephenson & Go. of Newcastle- 

 upon-Tyne, it was officially placed in service on November 

 12, 1831, at Bordentown, N. J., on the lines of the Camden 

 and Amboy Rail Road and Transportation Co., now a part 

 of the Pennsylvania Railroad Co. In regular service until 

 1865, the locomotive was given by the Pennsylvania Rail- 

 road Co. to the National Museum in 1885 (USNM 180001). 

 It should not be confused with another Stephenson-built 

 locomotive of the same name, built for the Mohawk and 

 Hudson Rail Road Co. at the same time but no longer in 

 existence. 



The Camden and Amboy's John Bull, its first locomotive, 

 was ordered from Stephenson by Robert L. Stevens of New 

 Jersey, son of the railroad pioneer Col. John Stevens, and 

 president of the company, who had gone to England in 

 October 1830 for this purpose, as well as to purchase iron 

 rails of his design for the track of the new railroad. 



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