The Early Pioneers of Steam The Inspiration Behind George Stephenson : The Inspiration Behind GeorgeStephenson

We think of the Stephensons and Brunel as the fathers of the railways, and their Liverpool and Manchester and Great Western Railways as the prototypes of the modern systems. But who were the railways' grandfathers and great grandfathers? For the rapid evolution of the railways after 1830 depended to a considerable degree upon the Stephensons, Brunel and their contemporaries being able to draw upon centuries of experience of using and developing railways, and of harnessing the power of steam? Giants the Stephensons and others may have been, but they stood upon the shoulders of many other considerable - if lesser known - talents. This book is their story. We think of the Stephensons and Brunel as the fathers of the railways, and their Liverpool and Manchester and Great Western Railways as the prototypes of the modern systems. But who were the railways' grandfathers and great-grandfathers? The rapid evolution of the railways after 1830 depended on the juggernauts of steam locomotion being able to draw upon centuries of experience in using and developing railways, and of harnessing the power of steam. Giants the Stephensons and others may have been, but they stood upon the foundations built by many other considerable – if lesser-known – talents. This is the story of those early pioneers of steam. An important new study with a vast scope: the people and events that made the achievements of Stephenson and Brunel possible