Modern postcard reproduction of a 19th-century print
Virtual Steam Car Museum

The 1824 Comet, designed by David Gordon, holds a unique position in automotive history as being probably the only vehicle not only to have three wheels, but also six feet.[1][2] The rear two wheels supported the main weight of the vehicle, which was steered via the single front wheel, but none of the wheels were powered. Instead, a steam engine was used to power the feet, which propelled the vehicle forwards.[1]

The Comet was braked by lifting the feet, which gradually brought it to a standstill, and it was steered by lifting the feet on one side or the other until the curve had been traversed.[1]

See also

  • Pedrail wheelType of all-terrain wheel developed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries by Bramah Joseph Diplock.

References

  1. p. 111
  2.  

Bibliography

Payne, Elvis. The A–Z of Three-Wheelers: A Definitive Reference Guide. Nostalgia Road, 2013.
Virtual Steam car Museum. David Gordon Steam Carriage. http://www.virtualsteamcarmuseum.org/makers/gordon_david_steam_carriage_the_comet.html.