This is a very old steam engine. Built in 1813, it once upon a time pulled coal along the Wylam wagonway to the river somewhere in a Newcastle on tyne direction. The information says that it is one of the two oldest surviving steam locamotives in the world - I assume by this that it is the second oldest. Perhaps the sign makers at the National Museum of Scotland had a little trouble admitting somebody might have an older one.
Without moving from the spot, I could have turned round and taken a picture of Dolly the Sheep, I didn't, but I could have because I was about half way between the two. Dolly was the first ever cloned mammal in the world - I do believe her information doesn't say she was one of the first two cloned mammals!!!
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I'm forwarding this post to my uncle in Massachusetts. He's a retired marine machinist who spends his time building fully functional miniature steam engines from scratch. He starts with a block of metal, machines all the parts to scale and the finished products actually function with tiny bits of coal, crafted to scale by hand. What I wouldn't give to have his patience!
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