Foster, Rastrick & Co

Foster, Rastrick and Company was located in Stourbridge, West Midlands. They are one of the first steam locomotive manufacturing companies in England.

In 1816, an iron master, James Foster and an engineer, John Rastrick became partners in business and eventually set up the company Foster, Rastrick in 1819 to build steam locomotives.

They built only four steam powered locomotives, the most famous being the Stourbridge Lion, which was built in 1828 and was the first ever locomotive to be tested in America. Another two locomotives were ordered for the Delaware and Hudson Canal company by their chief engineer while in England. These arrived in New York in 1829 for testing.

John Rastrick was a judge at the Rainhill Trials in 1829.

The fourth locomotive, the Agenoria was built for Shutt End Colliery railway in Kingswinford, Staffordshire. Because of improvements to the locomotives design, such as mechanical lubrication for its axles, it was in service until 1864. In 1884 it was presented to the Science Museum in london. It is now on display in the National Railway Museum in York.

Sadly the company did not last long, the locomotives they designed and built were soon out dated by George Stephenson's Rocket in 1829. The company was closed in 1831, becoming the Stourbridge Iron Works of John Bradley & Co. James Foster soon took control of this company and in 1832 became the sole owner.

The factory was set on fire in 2004 and now is in a derelict state. Its future is unknown.