London, Spring 1781
The field at the edge of the city had been cleared for the occasion. Beyond it, a hundred yards of gleaming steel rails stretched straight as a musket barrel, laid carefully on stout wooden sleepers. The grass smelled of morning dew, though the sharp tang of coal smoke quickly drowned it.
At the far end stood Imperial Dynamics' creation: the prototype locomotive. Its boiler gleamed with fresh black paint, rivets tight as buttons on a parade coat. A tall smokestack rose from its middle, and the steel wheels rested perfectly on the rails. Behind it, three open-topped carriages waited, simple wagons fitted with benches, each capable of holding twenty men.
On this day, those benches were reserved for Members of Parliament.
Phillip stood at the head of the yard, cravat neatly tied, waistcoat clean despite the soot in the air. At his side was Henry Carter, his technical assistant, wiping his hands nervously on an oil-stained rag. Nearby, workmen stoked the firebox, feeding coal into the belly of the beast.
One by one, the guests arrived. Carriages pulled up along the edge of the field. Footmen opened doors. Out stepped men in powdered wigs and tailored coats, their expressions ranging from curiosity to outright skepticism.
The Duke of Wellington came last. Even those MPs who sneered at Phillip straightened when the Duke's stern eyes swept the field.
"Gentlemen," the Duke announced. "this is my son, Phillip Wellington, managing director of Imperial Dynamics. Today he will show you a machine unlike any in the kingdom. Attend well, for it may change the course of our future."
Murmurs rippled through the crowd. Some smirked, others whispered.
Phillip stepped forward, rolling a large parchment onto a makeshift stand. It showed a clean sketch of the locomotive and its carriages.
"Honourable gentlemen," he began, his voice firm though his palms tingled with nerves, "you have spoken in Parliament of filth in the streets, of wagons clogging the city, of trade slowed by poor roads. Some argue for more canals, but canals cannot reach every city. Horses cannot keep pace with growing industry. This machine behind me is my answer, a steam locomotive."
He gestured to the engine. Smoke curled lazily from its stack.
"It is powered by fire and water. Coal heats a steel boiler, producing steam under pressure. That steam drives pistons, which turn the wheels. No horse, no river current needed."
On these rails, it can pull loads that would take twenty horses. And it can do so rain or shine, summer or winter."
An older MP scoffed. "A clever toy, perhaps, but hardly fit to replace the horse."
Phillip met his gaze without flinching. "That is why we will not argue. We will demonstrate."
A stir of interest ran through the group. Henry stepped up beside Phillip. "Pressure at sixty pounds, my lord. She's ready."
Phillip nodded. "Very well. Gentlemen, if you will take your seats in the carriages?"
There was some hesitation. The idea of climbing into a wagon pulled by a contraption belching smoke unsettled many. But the Duke himself strode to the first carriage and sat down with calm dignity. "Come," he said, glancing back. "Surely none of you fear a ride?"
That broke the tension. MPs filed into the carriages, some muttering about "mad experiments," others secretly excited. Soon the benches were filled, wigs bobbing and coats rustling.
Phillip climbed onto the small platform at the front of the locomotive, standing beside Henry. He raised his voice so all could hear.
"Gentlemen, we will now proceed down the line. It is one hundred yards only, a proof of concept. Hold fast to the rails, and you will feel the future beneath your feet."
Henry pulled the firebox door open, shoveling more coal into the roaring flame. The boiler hissed, the pressure gauge trembling at seventy pounds. Phillip reached for the valve lever.
"Steam on," he ordered.
With a hiss like an angry serpent, steam rushed into the twin cylinders. The pistons shuddered, rods strained, and the wheels lurched. For a moment, the locomotive groaned without moving. A nervous laugh broke from one of the MPs.
Then, with a deep metallic clank, the wheels turned. Slowly at first, an inch, then a foot, the engine rolled forward. The carriages creaked, benches rattling as Parliament itself moved on rails for the first time.
The MPs gasped. Some gripped the sides in alarm. Others craned their necks, eyes wide.
The locomotive picked up speed. Ten yards, twenty, thirty. The pistons pumped like the heartbeat of a giant, and the wheels turned smoother with every stroke.
At the far end of the track, Henry pulled the brake lever. Iron shoes clamped against the wheels, squealing, sparks flying. The locomotive slowed, shuddered, then came to a halt. Steam hissed from the release valves, clouding the air.
"Gentlemen, the steam locomotive," Phillip bowed with a flourish.
Dozens of MPs, powdered wigs askew, stared at one another with pale faces. Some looked as if they had just survived a charge at battle. Others looked like boys who had stolen their first ride on a fairground contraption.
One man finally broke the silence. "God above…" His voice cracked. "It moved… it truly moved!"
A younger member leapt from the carriage, boots thudding on the ground. His cheeks were flushed red, not with embarrassment, but exhilaration.
"Faster than any coach I've ridden! And smoother! By the saints, this will change everything!"
Another MP, older and heavier, clutched the edge of the wagon as if still expecting it to bolt forward again. His voice was gruff, trembling between fear and awe. "No horses… no drivers… only fire and water. The world has gone mad."
Laughter rippled through the group, not mocking, but nervous, disbelieving. Even skeptics could not deny what they had just experienced. The "toy" had carried them like a warhorse charging down the rails.
Now, let's get down to business.