Discover the remarkable rise of the machines that transformed Britain into a global powerhouse and meet the incredible people that made them possible.
WELCOME
TIMELINE OF THE REVOLUTION
WHY BRITAIN? • The fascinating factors that took this island nation to the forefront of global industrialisation
IRONS IN THE FIRE
INDUSTRIAL PIONEERS • Meet the giants of industry who transformed a land of fields into a nation of iron and big business
THE STEAM ENGINE • For centuries the steam engine powered British industry, and even today steam plays a big part in the generation of electricity. We take a look at the men behind these major inventions
A HISTORY OF STEAM…
THE SCIENCE MUSEUM’S BEN RUSSELL • We spoke to Ben Russell, the curator of mechanical engineering at the Science Museum, to find out more about the early steam industry
WHAT WAS THE NEWCOMEN STEAM ENGINE? • How did this groundbreaking engine work and how did it help bring about the Industrial Revolution?
HOW DID THE NEWCOMEN ENGINE GENERATE POWER? • Follow our step-by-step guide to the workings of this revolutionary piece of machinery
WHAT DID WATT DO? • Today, James Watt is known as the father of the steam engine, but does he deserve all the credit?
HULLS’ NEWCOMEN STEAMBOAT • Although never made, this was one of the first attempts to create a steam-powered vessel
HAMMER OF INDUSTRY
ANATOMY OF A RAILWAY FIREMAN • Britain, 1800–1900s
STEP BACK IN TIME WITH OUR HISTORY TITLES • Immerse yourself in a world of emperors, pioneers, conquerors and legends and discover the events that shaped humankind
RISE OF THE MACHINES HOW THE STEAM AGE CHANGED THE WORLD • One of the most important periods in modern history, the Industrial Revolution generated materials, machines, tools, vehicles and technologies that completely transformed life on Earth…
KEY DATES OF THE STEAM AGE • Chart some of the most gamechanging inventions, developments and discoveries over 200 years
INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION AT A GLANCE
FOCUS ON THE GREAT EXHIBITION • 1851’s Great Exhibition typified the Industrial Revolution, showcasing a range of inventions and curiosities in a celebration of human ingenuity. Let’s take a look at just a few of the exhibits and where they came from…
TOWERS OF PROGRESS
RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINES • When their livelihoods were threatened by mechanisation, the textile-working Luddites rose up in anger
GENERAL LUDD • Did the Luddites really base their whole movement around a fictional character?
REMEMBERING PETERLOO • We speak with historians, curators and campaigners about why it’s so important we never forget the 200-year* old tragedy of this protest for voting rights
FROM OPIUM DENS TO FREAK SHOWS, DISCOVER THE SINISTER SIDE OF THE VICTORIANS • Pull back the curtain on the prudish Victorians and uncover their deepest, darkest secrets… From the morbid obsession with death to the terrifying criminal underworld of 19th-century Britain, explore the reality of Victorian life!
BRUNEL IRON MAN • How Britain’s engineering superhero steered the world into a new age
Timeline
THE HOT BLAST PROCESS • By preheating the air blown into a blast furnace, fuel consumption could be dramatically reduced and its output increased
SS GREAT BRITAIN • Considered the first-ever modern ship, Brunel’s design revolutionised shipbuilding
WATT’S STEAM ENGINE • Bringing steam to the masses allowed industries to upscale their operations
DEVELOPMENTS IN OTHER INDUSTRIES • With innovations in iron, steam-power and textiles, as well as electricity and steel, productivity soared in many industries
IN HIS FATHER’S FOOTSTEPS
GROWING UP...