William Felton and The London Steam Carriage white plaque

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# 54 Leather Lane: Where Steam Met Streets Standing at 54 Leather Lane in 1803, William Felton's carriage works hummed with revolutionary purpose as craftsmen assembled what would become the world's first self-powered passenger vehicle—a steam-driven carriage born from the ingenious designs of Rich...

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54, Leather Lane

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William Felton's carriage works was close to this spot. In 1803 he built a carriage powered by a steam engine designed and supplied by Richard Trevithick, the great Cornish engineer. The carriage made several trips from here with up to about 8 passengers. In July of that year, one trip was made via Grey's Inn Lane, Dorset Square and Tottenham Court Road to Paddington, returning the same day via Islington . This was the first self-powered vehicle to run in the streets of London and the world's first self-powered people carrier. The London Steam carriage heralded the age of the car.