Birmingham Dribblers: the birth of model railroading
The train is such a fascinating invention that it’s not surprising how quickly it became a hobby. After modern rail systems appeared in England in the 1820s, models began to pop up around Europe. In 1825, Josef Ritter von Baader built a model railroad near Nymphenberg Castle as a presentation for the king of Bavaria. Ten years later, the Nurnberg-Furth railway was opened in Bavaria, and toy-makers started offering solid casts of trains. But the most interesting part of early model railroad history begins a few years after this in the early 1840s. We refer to that unique toy known as the Birmingham dribbler.These toys didn’t actually feature a model railway, but instead simply ran along the carpet, gaining them their other name of “carpet railways.” These toys were working steam locomotives made of brass and with an oscillating cylinder driving the wheels. To run the train, one filled the boiler with water and lit the burner. Once steam was being produced, the toy was capable of running until the water ran out. (more…)