Before the current century, the roads of England were in a poor state. Often closed by foul weather, churned to muck by hooves and wheels, steep, narrow, and irregular; their maintenance was in the hands of the local parishes, who often saw no urgency in improving the roads for strangers to pass by on.

After the Act of Union was passed in 1801, Irish M.P.s had to travel from Dublin to Holyhead, and then across the middle of England to London. Long-distance stage coaches needed better roads; Thomas Telford and John MacAdam improved British road standards in the Regency period, building several excellent turnpikes.

By 1830, large steam-powered "road engines" were taking advantage of these improved roads; most were used in scheduled coaching service at speeds of up to 10 or 20 mph. The names of Hancock, Church, Onesiphore Pecqueur, and most famously Sir George Gurney are connected with this era of road locomotion. Due to the perceived nuisances of the road engines, the "Highways and Locomotives Act" was passed, limiting motor vehicle speeds on British roads to 4 miles per hour, and vehicle weights to 12 tons. The high tolls and still mostly poor roads made the "road engines" uneconomical in comparison with railways, canals, and steamships, in any case.

After much lobbying by enthusiasts, the speed limit for automotives on British roads was raised to 12 mph in 1867 (in 1896 historically) -- the "London to Brighton Run" is held on the first Sunday of November, to commemorate this "free locomotion" amendment.

The current motor vehicle speed record is 39 mph, held by a custom-built French electric car. French military roads are the best in the world, and France leads the world in automotive design and manufacture. The Automobile Club of France was organized in 1863, and has been busily arranging automotive races since then. The Royal Automobile Club was founded in 1867, for "the protection, encouragement, and development of automobilism in Britain;" its premises are in Whitehall Court, and the Prince of Wales is a patron. Current goals of the RAC are the improvement of British roads, and the elimination of turnpike trusts.

Periodicals for the enthusiast: Autocar, The Motorcycle, La France Automobile.

The following list represents the automotives in current production, and about three-quarter of the automotives on the roads in Britain. The remaining motor vehicles are one-or-three of a kind designs, often providing evidence for some particular engineering theory of the designers. There are also many motorized bicycles, using small steam engines sold for that purpose, and costing about 20 guineas. This list does not include pedaled vehicles (such as bi-cycles), char-volants (wind-powered vehicles), and horse-drawn equipment. Automotives created by adventurer Personae can usually be counted on to reach between 15 and 30 mph.

Dumont steam uniped -- British, 80 gn.

Gyroscopically balanced wheel, seats one. Single-cylinder steam engine; boiler fired by various fluids. 5 mph.

Noggwitz steam velocipede -- British, 100 gn.

Penny-farthing style, seats one. Single-cylinder steam engine, fired by various flammable fluids. 10 mph.

Butler motor-tricycle -- British, 90 gn.

Large rear wheels, seats one. Horizontal steam boiler. 12 mph.

Daimler motor-bicycle -- German (license-built in England by the Great Horseless Carriage Company), 50 gn.

Wooden frame and two wheels, training wheels, saddle-shaped seat. Water-cooled 4 stroke 1.5 HP gasoline engine. 6 mph.

Daimler motor coach -- German (license-built in England by the Great Horseless Carriage Company), 200 gn.

Two bench seats, resembles an open coach. Water-cooled 4 stroke 1.1 HP gasoline engine. 10 mph.

Daimler dog cart -- German (license-built in England by the Great Horseless Carriage Company), 100 gn.

Two seats. Water-cooled 4 stroke 0.9 HP petrol engine. 5 mph.

Benz Victoria -- German, 150 gn.

Four wheels, two bench seats. Water-cooled, electically ignited petrol engine, about 7 mph.

Benz motor wagon -- German, 100 gn.

Two large rear wheels, single front wheel; seats two. Water-cooled, electically ignited 1 cylinder 1 HP petrol engine, about 8 mph.

Benz Velo -- German, 150 gn.

Four wire wheels; seats two or three. Petrol engine, about 13 mph.

Marcus power wagon -- Austrian, 120 gn.

Four wheels, seats two. 4 stroke gasoline engine. 8 mph.

Bollee steam carriage -- French, 250 gn.

Large three-wheeled carriage, seats about eight. Vertical steam boiler. 15 mph.

Lenoir voiturette -- French, 200 gn.

Four wheels, seats two. Hydrogen-oxygen gas turbine. 14 mph.

Lenoir motor-cyle -- French, 100 gn.

Two wheels. Two-stroke gasoline engine. 15 mph.

Panhard-Levassor voiture -- French, 200 gn.

Four wheels, two bench seats. Water-cooled 4 stroke gasoline engine; 14 mph.

Peugeot-Serpollet steam carriage -- French, 150 gn.

Four wheels, two bench seats. Flash boiler; 10 mph.

Peugeot-Serpollet steam voiturette -- French, 200 gn.

Four wheels, two seats. Flash boiler; 12 mph.

Delamare steam car -- French, 150 gn.

Four wheels, bench seat, 'cargo' body. Horizontal boiler under cargo bed. 4 mph.

de Dion steam quadricyle -- French, 200 gn.

Four wheels, two bench seats. Advanced transmission and suspension. 11 mph.

Oshkosh steam car -- American, 100 gn.

Four wheels, two seats. Vertical steam boiler; 6 mph.

Olds steam cycle -- American, 100 gn.

Three wheels, two seats. Petrol-fired steam boiler, single-cylinder engine. 10 mph.

Studebaker steam wagon -- American, 120 gn.

Four wheels, bench seat and cargo bed. Petrol-fired steam boiler, two cylinder engine. 4 mph.

White freight steamer -- American, 150 gn.

Four wheels, bench seat and cargo bed. Petrol-fired steam boiler. 4 mph.

Electrobat runabout -- American, 300 gn.

Four wheels, two bench seats. Electrically powered. 12 mph.