Robert Stephenson was born near Newcastle, England, on October 16, 1803. He was the only son of George Stephenson and was sent to the best schools and served a challenging apprenticeship with his father. He served as a mine supervisor in Colombia from 1824 to 1827. Upon his return he managed Robert Stephenson and Company, manufacturers of locomotives, which was founded in 1823 by his father with the financial support of Edward Pease (1767-1858).

The firm's first engine was the 1828 Lancashire Witch. The Witch had inclined cylinders that were connected directly to crank pins on the wheels. This innovation was intended to lessen the jumping motion created by vertical cylinders and to reduce the frequent derailments associated with vertical movement. The Witch was a direct predecessor to the infamous Rocket.

The Rocket was completed in 1829 and began the century of the steam locomotive in both England and the United States. In the late...