This same picture was published in 1904, in an American book by a William Fletcher "English & AmericanSteam Carriages and Traction Engines" and he says that the Inshaw Steam Carriage "was well known in Birmingham and district". A couple of years ago I was in touch with a Mike Dyson of The Road Locomotive Society who kindly passed this information to me, "Mr. J. G. Inshaw built a steam carriage in 1881 and The Engineer for November 1st 1895 carried a report by Mr. Inshaw about his machine. He claimed that he discontinued his experiments because of the law prohibiting the use of steam propelled carriages. He said that he hoped to build a second one as soon as the law was repealed. The boiler was a water tube type and worked at 200 psi. Steam could be raised in 20 minutes. It has two cylinders of 4in.

bore by 8in.stroke, three gears and double gear drive to the rear wheels. When loaded with ten passengers it weighed 35 cwt and averaged 8 to 12 mph.

 I have been told by another person that the large imposing man at the front of the engine is John Inshaw and that one of the other two men is his son.

Read about the Inshaw Family >>