Patentee (locomotive)

The Patentee was a 2-2-2 steam locomotive type introduced by Robert Stephenson and Company in 1833 as an enlargement of the firm's 2-2-0 Planet type. Its layout of a leading axle, a single driving axle and a trailing axle gave more stability and room for a larger firebox than the earlier 0-2-2 and 2-2-0 engines. Examples went abroad, including Adler, the first successful locomotive to run in Germany, supplied in component form in December 1835, and De Arend for the Netherlands in 1839, with others for Russia and Italy. Le Belge was built in Belgium under licence by John Cockerill. By 1838 the Patentee was the standard passenger design of the firm, and North Star and Morning Star, built to the style, became the basis of the Great Western Railway Star class.