Rocket was a steam locomotive that served as the model for nearly all the steam locomotives built after it. The Rocket’s boiler passed heated air through multiple tubes surrounded by water, making steam faster than boilers with only a single pipe. The Rocket also had driving rods connecting the pistons directly to the wheels. Many earlier locomotives used gears to drive the wheels. In 1829, the Rocket won the Rainhill Trials, a competition held by the Liverpool and Manchester Railway to find the best locomotive to use on the railroad. In the competition, the Rocket reached a speed of 29 miles (46 kilometers) per hour. Robert Stephenson, an English engineer, designed the Rocket and built it with the help of his father, George.
See also Locomotive (History) ; Stephenson, George ; Stephenson, Robert .
