From the steam engine to the World Wide Web, British innovations have revolutionised industries and transformed societies around the world. The Industrial Revolution, which began in Britain in the 18th century, saw the development of new technologies that paved the way for modern manufacturing and transportation. The steam engine, invented by James Watt in 1769, was a key invention that powered the Industrial Revolution and led to the mechanisation of industry.

200 Years of Steam Trains

An invention that changed the world is 200 years old in 2004. Britain is celebrating the bicentenary of the steam railway locomotive with a year-long events programme, but it is not an engineering giant such as James Watt or George Stephenson being fêted.