| [otd] 10th November 1840 - Boiler explosion, Bromsgrove Posted by grahame at 10:07, 9th November 2026 | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
From Wikipedia
10th November 1840 – The Bromsgrove Boiler Explosion: One of the earliest recorded fatal locomotive accidents in Britain occurred on the Lickey Incline. The boiler of an experimental steam locomotive named Surprise (often associated with Dr. William Church) exploded at Bromsgrove station in Worcestershire, killing two railway employees. A famous headstone at St John the Baptist Church in Bromsgrove commemorates the engineers
We often read / hear of steam engine boilers being "in ticket until ..." or "out of ticket" but I have drawn pretty close to a blank on researching the history of when these became mandatory. Further links and quotes would be helpful!
The history of steam engine boiler certificates and safety inspections evolved from early 19th-century industrial disasters into a structured system of periodic testing and insurance














