Was it because the English were renowned at the time for their steam engines, both on rails and on the road? In any case, when he decided in 1809 to venture into the construction of steam-powered vehicles, Joanny Crotte, a hatmaker in Épernay, requested and obtained permission to change his name to Scotte. After producing a series of omnibuses -with the chassis built in Lyon by the La Buire shipyards and the Field-type boiler by Buffaud and Robatel- he specialized in the production of road trains (consisting of a tractor vehicle and one or more trailers) for passengers and freight.

This 900-kg steam omnibus was designed by Joanny Scotte in 1892. With seating for six and a top speed of 10 km/h, it is an example of early French attempts to design motorized public transportation.

Two seats are located in the front: one for the conductor, responsible for steering the vehicle, and the other for the engineer, whose role is to stoke the boiler to keep the steam engine running. Both a conductor and an engineer were therefore needed to operate this vehicle! 

• Steam engine with two vertical cylinders.
• Tubular boiler.
• Wooden frame and body.
• Rack-and-pinion steering.
• Wooden wheels with metal tires.
• Single drive wheel.
• Shoe brakes on the rear wheels.