Locomotive Act
Encyclopedia
The Locomotive Acts were a series of Acts of Parliament
in the United Kingdom
to control the use of mechanically propelled vehicles on British public highways during the latter part of the 19th century. The first three, 'The Locomotives on Highways Act 1861', 'The Locomotive Act 1865' (or 'Red Flag Act') and the 'Highways and Locomotives (Amendment) Act 1878' all contained very restrictive measures for road vehicles. The 'Locomotives on Highways Act 1896
' provided legislation that allowed the automotive industry in the United Kingdom to develop soon after the development of the first practical automobile
. The last 'locomotive act' was the 'Locomotives Act 1898'.
The 1865 act required all road locomotives, which included automobiles, to travel at a maximum of 4 mph (6 km/h) in the country and 2 mph (3 km/h) in towns and have a crew of three travel, one of whom should carry a red flag walking 60 yards (55 m) ahead of each vehicle. The 1896 Act removed the need for the crew of three and raised the speed to 14 mi/h.
and subsequent acts (Public Health Act 1875
, Local Government Act 1888
and Local Government Act 1894
) attempted to find satisfactory methods of maintaining roads since the UK Turnpike Trust system had failed following the UK railway boom.
These new Locomotives, some up to 9 feet (2.7 m) wide and 14 tons, were alleged to damage the highway while they were being propelled at "high speeds" of up to 10 miles per hour (16.1 km/h). There is evidence that the steam carriages' brakes and their wide tyres caused less damage to the roads than horse-drawn carriages because of the absence of horses' hooves striking the road and wheels which did not lock and drag.)
In addition to any concerns about the state of the roads, by the 1860s, there was concern that the widespread use of traction engine
s, such as road locomotives and agricultural engines, would endanger the safety of the public. It was feared that engines and their trailers might cause fatal accidents, scare horses, block narrow lanes, and disturb the locals by operating at night.
The restrictions in the earlier act were encouraged
by those with interests in the UK railway industry
and horse-drawn carriages.
Similar 'Red Flag' legislation
was enacted in some States in America.
The emerging UK automotive industry advocated
very effectively for the 1896 Act during the preceding year. Coventry manufacturer Harry J. Lawson, who had purchased the British Daimler engine patents in 1895 and later was to form the Daimler Motor Company
, was very influential.
.
Acts of Parliament in the United Kingdom
An Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom is a type of legislation called primary legislation. These Acts are passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom at Westminster, or by the Scottish Parliament at Edinburgh....
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
to control the use of mechanically propelled vehicles on British public highways during the latter part of the 19th century. The first three, 'The Locomotives on Highways Act 1861', 'The Locomotive Act 1865' (or 'Red Flag Act') and the 'Highways and Locomotives (Amendment) Act 1878' all contained very restrictive measures for road vehicles. The 'Locomotives on Highways Act 1896
Locomotives on Highways Act 1896
The Locomotives on Highways Act 1896 removed the strict rules and UK speed limits that were included in the earlier Locomotive Acts which had greatly restricted the adoption of motorised vehicles in the United Kingdom...
' provided legislation that allowed the automotive industry in the United Kingdom to develop soon after the development of the first practical automobile
History of the automobile
The history of the automobile begins as early as 1769, with the creation of steam engined automobiles capable of human transport. In 1806, the first cars powered by an internal combustion engine running on fuel gas appeared, which led to the introduction in 1885 of the ubiquitous modern gasoline-...
. The last 'locomotive act' was the 'Locomotives Act 1898'.
The 1865 act required all road locomotives, which included automobiles, to travel at a maximum of 4 mph (6 km/h) in the country and 2 mph (3 km/h) in towns and have a crew of three travel, one of whom should carry a red flag walking 60 yards (55 m) ahead of each vehicle. The 1896 Act removed the need for the crew of three and raised the speed to 14 mi/h.
Background
The Highway Act 1835Highway Act 1835
Highway Act 1835 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.The Highway Act 1835 places highways under the direction of parish surveyors, and allows them to pay for the costs involved by rates levied on the occupiers of land...
and subsequent acts (Public Health Act 1875
Public Health Act 1875
The Public Health Act 1875 was established in the United Kingdom to combat filthy urban living conditions, which caused various public health threats, including the spread of many diseases such as cholera and typhus. Reformers wanted to resolve sanitary problems, because sewage was flowing down the...
, Local Government Act 1888
Local Government Act 1888
The Local Government Act 1888 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which established county councils and county borough councils in England and Wales...
and Local Government Act 1894
Local Government Act 1894
The Local Government Act 1894 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales outside the County of London. The Act followed the reforms carried out at county level under the Local Government Act 1888...
) attempted to find satisfactory methods of maintaining roads since the UK Turnpike Trust system had failed following the UK railway boom.
These new Locomotives, some up to 9 feet (2.7 m) wide and 14 tons, were alleged to damage the highway while they were being propelled at "high speeds" of up to 10 miles per hour (16.1 km/h). There is evidence that the steam carriages' brakes and their wide tyres caused less damage to the roads than horse-drawn carriages because of the absence of horses' hooves striking the road and wheels which did not lock and drag.)
In addition to any concerns about the state of the roads, by the 1860s, there was concern that the widespread use of traction engine
Traction engine
A traction engine is a self-propelled steam engine used to move heavy loads on roads, plough ground or to provide power at a chosen location. The name derives from the Latin tractus, meaning 'drawn', since the prime function of any traction engine is to draw a load behind it...
s, such as road locomotives and agricultural engines, would endanger the safety of the public. It was feared that engines and their trailers might cause fatal accidents, scare horses, block narrow lanes, and disturb the locals by operating at night.
The restrictions in the earlier act were encouraged
Advocacy
Advocacy is a political process by an individual or a large group which normally aims to influence public-policy and resource allocation decisions within political, economic, and social systems and institutions; it may be motivated from moral, ethical or faith principles or simply to protect an...
by those with interests in the UK railway industry
History of rail transport in Great Britain
The railway system of Great Britain, the principal territory of the United Kingdom, is the oldest in the world. The system was originally built as a patchwork of local rail links operated by small private railway companies. These isolated links developed during the railway boom of the 1840s into a...
and horse-drawn carriages.
Similar 'Red Flag' legislation
Red flag laws
Red flag laws were laws in the United Kingdom and the United States enacted in the late 19th century, requiring drivers of early automobiles to take certain safety precautions, including waving a red flag in front of the vehicle as a warning....
was enacted in some States in America.
The emerging UK automotive industry advocated
Advocacy
Advocacy is a political process by an individual or a large group which normally aims to influence public-policy and resource allocation decisions within political, economic, and social systems and institutions; it may be motivated from moral, ethical or faith principles or simply to protect an...
very effectively for the 1896 Act during the preceding year. Coventry manufacturer Harry J. Lawson, who had purchased the British Daimler engine patents in 1895 and later was to form the Daimler Motor Company
Daimler Motor Company
The Daimler Motor Company Limited was an independent British motor vehicle manufacturer founded in London by H J Lawson in 1896, which set up its manufacturing base in Coventry. The right to the use of the name Daimler had been purchased simultaneously from Gottlieb Daimler and Daimler Motoren...
, was very influential.
Locomotive Act 1861
The Locomotives on Highways Act 1861:- Limited the weight of vehicles to 12 tons (12 tonnes).
- Imposed a speed limit of 10 mph (16 km/h) on open roads in town.
The Locomotive Act 1865 (Red Flag Act)
The Locomotive Act 1865 (Red Flag Act):- Set speed limits of 4 mph (6 km/h) in the country and 2 mph (3 km/h) in towns.
- Stipulated that self-propelled vehicles should be accompanied by a crew of three: the driver, a stoker and a man with a red flag walking 60 yards (55 m) ahead of each vehicle. The man with a red flag or lantern enforced a walking pace, and warned horse riders and horse drawn traffic of the approach of a self propelled machine.
Highways and Locomotives (Amendment) Act 1878
With the highways and Locomotives (Amendment) Act 1878:- Made the red flag optional under local regulation
- The distance ahead of the still necessary pedestrian crew member was reduced to 20 yards (18 m).
- Vehicles were required to stop on the sight of a horse.
- Vehicles were forbidden from emitting smoke or steam to prevent horses being alarmed.
Locomotives on Highways Act 1896
Many of the restrictions were subsequently removed by the Locomotives on Highways Act 1896Locomotives on Highways Act 1896
The Locomotives on Highways Act 1896 removed the strict rules and UK speed limits that were included in the earlier Locomotive Acts which had greatly restricted the adoption of motorised vehicles in the United Kingdom...
.
Locomotives Act 1898
The 1898 Act included various measures relating to length weight and operation of locomotives on the highway.Further reading
- Locomotive Act 1861 Original 1861 legislation
- Locomotives Act, 1861 Pratt's Law of Highways Edition 10, Shaw & Sons (1865) p. 388
- Highways and Locomotives (Amendment) Act 1878 Original 1878 Legislation