Birmingham Dribbler

In some cases, the front wheels were even made steerable so that they could be run in a circle without track.

Evidence is required of individual examples, but it is believed they first appeared in the 1850s and became generally popular in the latter part of the 19th through to the early 20th century.

They were basically a boiler mounted on wheels, although simple decoration (usually bands of lacquer) was sometimes applied.

Track was not used – the boiler was filled with water, the burner lit, and when steam was being produced, the locomotive was placed on the floor and allowed to run until either the water or fuel ran out or the engine crashed into the furniture.

They quickly gained the nickname of Birmingham Dribblers (or sometimes "Piddlers"), as large numbers of them were made in Birmingham, England, and they had the unfortunate habit of leaving a trail of water behind them as they ran across the floor.