Rickett Owners Group

Thomas Rickett from Buckingham, England, made a steam powered car in 1860. What distinguishes this from others made around the time is that it was put into production and several examples made and it was also advertised. This arguably makes it the first British production car.

Rickett was manager of the Castle Foundry in Buckingham, makers of agricultural implements, who in 1857 also started to make steam engines. In 1858 he combined the two to make a steam plough. This inspired the Marquess of Stafford to order a steam carriage. This vehicle had three wheels, the single wheel at the front, and a rear mounted coal fired boiler and two cylinder engine. The boiler pressure was 110 psi and the cylinders had a bore of 76 mm and stroke of 178 mm. Transmission was by chain to the right hand rear wheel. A maximum speed of 19 mph was claimed. A boilerman was seated at the rear and three passengers could sit side by side at the front with the one on the right operating tiller steering and the regulator, reversing lever and brake. The wheels had iron "tyres" with the brakes operating on the rear wheels.

In 1860 a second example was ordered by the Earl of Caithness but this time the wheels were driven through a two speed gearbox and spur gears. The Earl used the car to drive 146 miles from Inverness to Barrogill Castle, 20 miles north of Wick in Scotland. accompanied by his wife with Thomas Rickett acting as engine man.

Encouraged by his success Rickett placed an advertisement in The Engineer magazine advertising his carriages for sale at £180 to £200. He was however ahead of his time and it is not thought that any more were sold.