D. Redmund
Engineer of the London and Paddington Steam Carriage Co
In October, 1832, Mr. Redmund of City Road, patented a boiler, especially designed for locomotive sites. Also built a steam carriage [1]
Extract from Steam Locomotion on Common Roads by William Fletcher. Published 1891.
Mr. D. Redmund, City Road, London, while employed as engineer to the London and Paddington Steam Carriage Company, acted very dishonourably in secretly taking Hancock's new carriage, the Enterprise, to pieces, so that he could take dimensions and copy the design of the parts, to be embodied in a carriage he was making. He had previously patented a steam boiler, consisting of a series of vertical parallel chambers, an imitation of Hancock's patent. The manner of driving, the position of the engine, and even the external appearance, resembled the Enterprise closely.
The driving wheels were of ornamental design, the subject of a separate patent, the cast iron spokes were of hollow section. They appeared to be the only part of the carriage not stolen from others, for Hebert says, "The steering arrangement was like Ackerman's patent of 1816."
Before Redmund had finished his carriage, or had made any experiments, he boastfully advertised that he was willing to furnish locomotives to run on common roads at any required speed. When his steam carriage was announced as being ready for trial, the editor of the Mechanics' Magazine said, "We shall soon be able to judge whether he was justified or not in his confidence displayed in the advertisement."
Redmund intimated that the private trials of his carriage were satisfactory, but publicity is the only test in such matters. But nothing was heard of Redmund's performances in public with his steam carriage, which he had named the Alpha. It was suggested that it might prove the Omega of his efforts in the steam engine line, and such turned out to be the case. The Alpha was a complete failure, and Redmund's project met with the fate it deserved. Fig. 46 shews the external appearance of Redmund's steam carriage.