Page 4 - the story of motoring

Before the crr

Today our roads are full of traffic, cars, lorries and motorbikes. A
hundred years ago city streets would still be choked with traffic, but it
would all be horse drawn. There were thousands of horse drawn cabs, buses,
carts and carriages. Instead of garages to service cars there would be
stables, hay merchants, saddlers, coach makers and wheelwrights. Horses were
expensive to keep so would only be owned by wealthy people or business firms.

Man has often dreamt of mgking a self propelled vehicle. Many ideas were
flights of fantasy by using such energies as the wind, man power and even
geese. The first self propelled vehicle was built by Joseph Cugnot in 1769.
This steam wagon was intended to be used to pull the French army's artillery
guns. However, it was difficult to control and on one occasion crashed into
a brick wall. Steam powered vehicles were particularly useful in carrying
heavy loads. These were slow but powerful. Their noise and smell made them
unpopular. The Locomotive Act of 1865 made sure that they had an attendant
with a red flag walking ahead and were only to travel 4 mph in the country and
2 mph in the towns. There had been many attempts to use steam power to drive
vehicles. During the 1820's and 30's steam coaches were quite popular. Walter
Hancock started a regular bus service in the London area.

Gurney built a carriage that travelled from London to Bath. This success
did not last long because they were too heavy and slow, could not attract people
away from the railways and faced a lot of opposition.

Country roads would be quiet and deserted a hundred years ago. The railways
had killed off the once busy stage coaches. Most country people never left their
village in the whole of their life. Farmers would walk their animal flocks to
market. The roads were soon in a terrible state and not looked after.

The bicycle was a very important development in the 19th century. First
came the hobbyhorse which you sat across and pushed along with your feet. Then
.came the terrible boneshaker. It had pedals but also iron wheels and no springs!
The Penny Farthing was popular with men. For children and ladies there was the
tricycle. In 1885 the Safety Bicycle was introduced and the bicycle has changed
very little since then. In 1888 John Dunlop developed air filled tyres for
bicycles. By the 1890's cycling was very popular with both rich and poor, men
and women.

Rover Safety 1885

Penny Farthing 1880