With steam powering ships and trains by the mid 1820s, a British inventor, Goldworthy Gurney adapted the technology to the roadgoing coach. The picture above shows the vehicle, with driver out front steering small guide wheels to help steer the main carriage front axle. The boiler- burning coke as a fuel- is located at the rear with a steam engine acting upon the rear wheels. Sixty gallons of water were carried in a tank under the floor. From the artists rendition it looks remarkably resolved.
The coach could make the 100 mile run from London to Bath reliably. He made several versions of the coach and within a few years others had constructed and were operating 20-40 similar vehicles. The public was not ready for such technology and Parliament placed a prohibitive road tax on the steam carriages, driving them out of business.
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