“John Bull” No. 1
Specifications
| Road Name | John Bull |
| Number | 1 |
| Original Railroad | Camden and Amboy Railroad and Transportation Company (New Jersey) |
| Builder | Robert Stephenson and Company, Newcastle upon Tyne, England |
| Build Date | June 18, 1831 |
| Wheel Arrangement | Originally 0-4-0; modified 1832 to 4-2-0 |
| Gauge | Standard gauge (4 ft 8½ in) |
| Weight | Approximately 10 short tons |
| Tractive Effort | Unknown (not calculated for this era) |
| Boiler Pressure | ~70 psi as rated |
| Driver Diameter | 4 ft 6 in |
| Years Operated | 1831 test run; 1833–1866 revenue service |
| Current Status | Preserved, static display — oldest operable self-propelled vehicle in the world (1981 demonstration) |
| Current Location | Washington, D.C. |
| Current Owner | Smithsonian Institution |
The locomotive known as John Bull was built in 1831 by Robert Stephenson and Company of Newcastle upon Tyne, England, for the Camden and Amboy Railroad and Transportation Company, New Jersey’s first railroad. Shipped disassembled across the Atlantic, C&A mechanic Isaac Dripps reconstructed it largely by trial and error in about 11 days so it could be tested on September 15, 1831.
Originally an 0-4-0, the locomotive was prone to derailing on the C&A’s rough track, so in 1832 Dripps added a two-wheel leading truck, converting it to a 4-2-0 and greatly improving stability. It entered regular revenue service in 1833 and ran for over three decades before retirement in 1866.
The John Bull’s greatest claim to fame came in 1981, when the Smithsonian ran the locomotive under its own steam power in Washington, D.C. on the 150th anniversary of its first trial — making it the oldest operable self-propelled vehicle in the world, a title it retains. Today the original locomotive is preserved in static display condition at the Smithsonian.
Blueprint / Diagram
Source: Historical sketch by Isaac Dripps, 1887 (public domain) — a retrospective illustration, not an original builder's technical drawing