The man who invented the steam train - Richard Trevithick

[@JRS06]

I'm glad people do credit Trevithick's work now and again. Everyone calls Stevenson the "father of railways", well Trevithick is the grandfarther, and people like Thomas Newcomen need credit for designing the first steam pump. Thanks to a few things, I was aware of this man's name throughout my childhood, mainly the iconic image in The Titfiled Thunderbolt's titles and the train in Cars Lightning McQueen rraces ahead of being called Trev, though that last one being a reference is more of an afterthought.

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

You mean Thomas Savery who created the first steam powered pump and whom Newcomen had to pay for patent Infringements.

[@MorganTheTimeLord]

Well it was Stevensons locomotive design that was the basis for all modern steam trains to come after and he was responsible for both the Stockton- Darlington railway and the Liverpool- Manchester railway. The Liv - Man is the first inter-city railway and also led to pretty much every other railway in the country and the world

[@Irobert1115HD]

given that he basicaly invented the transportation system of tommorow long before cars existed its hard to understate how relevant for tech history he was. and kinda still is.

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

@@Irobert1115HD unfortunately pioneers are often forgotten and overshadowed by those who develop the technology further. The Wright brothers are remembered, including their glidin nflights, but fewer remember Cayley, Lilienthal and the others whose work formed the basis of the Wright's work on gliding flight and later powered flight was based.

[@Irobert1115HD]

@@neiloflongbeck5705 actually lilienthal is remembered here in germany.

[@Pyrotrainthing]

I like how it took a boiler explosion for someone to realize that a safety valve and a plug to prevent the boiler from exploding are important to have.

[@hurrdurrmurrgurr]

I like how his invention could kill people repeatedly and he could get away with treating it as a learning experience.

[@cleanerben9636]

@@hurrdurrmurrgurr "user error"

[@oldmate3152]

Almost every safety feature we have are basically soaked in blood, its taken multiple accidents and tragedies to form the basis of safety we have today. Those pushbars on doors came around because of a crush in a theatre for example.

[@ChampChamp2024]

@@hurrdurrmurrgurrjust a proper emotional clown aren’t you. Always looking for something to cry about.

[@bobhill-ol7wp]

No one invented the time machine yet

[@ImperatorZor]

"Never before have the lives of so many changed so quickly as when the Engines came came to life for the very first time with a roar that echoed over continents."

[@SynchroScore]

The armies of Napoleon moved no faster than the armies of Caesar. Then came the railways.

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

Well, not since the invention of the printing press.

[@laurencefraser]

@@neiloflongbeck5705 nope, the printing press was a big deal, but to my recollection it took a LOT longer (and a number of other inventions, some of which were a massive deal even without the printing press) to actually have it's eventually massive impact than the steam engine did.

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

@@laurencefraser a bit like the steam engine in that respect. Starting with Hero of Alexandria through to Denis Papin.

[@Gearz-365]

He's so underrated honestly. Invented the steam locomotive yet he isn't very well known compared to Stephenson and other engineers of the early 19th century. If it wasn't for him, trains wouldn't have been the same Also, I think an interesting idea for a video topic would be discussing the craft of model engineering, since model steam engines and trains are one of the most popular branches of the craft

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

Do you remember Thomas Savery? You know the inventer of the steam pump?

[@It_Is_I_I]

Makes you think, if the train just wasn't invented then how would the world today be different

[@FunAngelo2005]

HORSE and cannal TRANSPORT

[@Electrolux219]

Canals probably

[@It_Is_I_I]

@FunAngelo2005 so you're telling me horses would've hauled the freight thousands of miles across America? I beg to differ

[@ThZuao]

Given how intricatelly tied to economic development the Railroad is, we would be set back technologically by years. Inevitably, someone would come up with a transport solution. Steam boats are a likely candidate, concentrating economic development at coasts and navigable rivers. I don't like to think in therms of "what if never", but "what if this guy didn't". Once the conditions are just right, in this scenario thanks to developments in steam boat tech, someone would take a crack at it. It's hard to say who or when though.

[@QuintonMurdock]

It would have been invented. Horse tramways existed for a while and the idea is too efficient

[@richardgonzalez6409]

Bro Literally worked at a mine called Ding Dong.

[@DandamanV]

I guess you could say it... rings a bell. *Yeeeaaah!*

[@GreatWestern5199]

The photo shown at 4:45 was taken inside Blist's Hill Living Museum near Ironbridge, where a replica of Trevithick's Penydarren locomotive resides. The nearby Coalbrookdale iron works is now a museum, with a few lovely old factory buildings, a sweeping railway bridge, a vehicle museum containing one of the company's shunting engines (Coalbrookdale No.5), and a big grass hill leading down to a glass cover over the original forge, one of the first ever where iron was smelted. Reportedly, the Penydarren replica ran on a loop of track at Coalbrookdale for a couple of years after it was built. I saw Blist's Hill and Coalbrookdale in June when I went up for SVR's Jubilee gala, can confirm they're both worth a visit 😁 Lovely video as always 👍

[@a1exr0ll44]

Forgive me if I have skipped over this part but isn’t there a replica of “Catch me who can” at the SVR aswell?

[@GreatWestern5199]

@@a1exr0ll44 Indeed there is, it doesn't run as far as I know but I saw it in June 2022 on a siding at Bridgnorth.

[@a1exr0ll44]

@@GreatWestern5199 I believe they are still working on it but if I have read correctly then it will be operational in the future

[@RedSkeletonGames]

so, not sure how true this is, but at my high school (and former middle school) is this substitute teacher. his name is trevithick. one time, i actually had a conversation with the guy, and im not sure how it came up, but he had said that one of his relatives, pretty sure it was his great, great, great, etc grandfather invented the first locomotive. now i know that paintings aren't very accurate to how people actually look, but the substitute teacher actually looks a little bit like richard trevithick. im sort of on the fence about them actually being related, mostly because i live in new hampshire (usa) and this guy does too. but it is possible that this could be a relative of richard trevithick

[@multifan75]

Trevithick is definitely a true genius for inventing the first locomotives in the world. Kudos to him and his hard work for it.

[@Poliss95]

Except that he didn't invent the first steam locomotive in the world.

[@multifan75]

@@Poliss95 Yeah, true. But he paved way for the first steam locomotives.

[@ScotSteam47]

And now I finally realise where the opening title image for "The Titfield Thunderbolt" comes from. The railway circus... huh.

[@JRS06]

That image is burned into my head cause of that film.

[@iankemp1131]

Very nice brief and effective summary of Trevithick's career. He was a true pioneer, highly versatile and invented many other things related to high pressure steam. There is an excellent biography by Anthony Burton. It was 15-20 years before anyone else produced as simple and elegant a locomotive as Catch-me-who-can. His three earlier engines were dual-purpose as stationary engines and had a huge heavy flywheel, hence the damage to tracks.

[@donnatrevithick1318]

Wonderfully put together account. Richard Trevithick is celebrated, in Camborne, every year with Trevithick Day.

[@solarflare623]

Another interesting thing about Travithic. When he was in school he managed to solve every problem the class was given differently then how the teacher said and he always got the same answer as everyone else.

[@etherealbolweevil6268]

He also was recruited by Simon Bolivar to make weapons for the 'independence' revolution in Peru, having been employed to enhance the Peruvian mining industry with Cornish technology. I believe the oil painting shows him pointing to the distant snow capped Andes prior to his escape and return to Cornwall.

[@ethribin4188]

"If ever you think youre not going anywhere with an idea, keep at it. You might be laying the ground works for something greater."

[@1_railfan]

In a way, we do give credit to Richard Trevithick. Apparently, there's a day called "Trevithick Day" celebrated every last Saturday of April.

[@balls9420]

Yeah. Traction engines going through Camborne along with other Cornish things.

[@HardstyleMania]

There is we celebrate it every April and all Steam Engines are out for the day

[@Twisted_RC]

It's a brilliant day full of steam engines and music 👍

[@etherealbolweevil6268]

A descendant was tasked to build the railway system in Japan, and we know how that turned out.

[@jake__sggr9732]

you should talk about the history of the diesel engine, I like sequels, I also like you to talk about the history of Rudolf Diesel, and how they overtime overthrown the steam engine.

[@MidlandProductions]

finally, you make this video! now make a playlist that has the videos go in a time order. old machines to modern day.

[@harrisonallen651]

Richard deserves more recognition for today’s standards

[@Noodlewerfer]

This was really informative! For the longest time, I was confused what the difference was between the Coalbrookdale locomotive and the Penydarren, and which one came first.

[@sonkejager3305]

Love the almost subliminal use of the "Ode to Joy" here!

[@cz.gazz.]

Love how the bloke pointed behind himself for the portrait. Almost like he anticipated the KZbin thumbnail.

[@russell-di8js]

To go from horse travel to steam power was such a mind blowing concept, like the bronze age after the stone age!! Richard Trevithick : genius!!

[@tulsatrash]

Thank you for making this.

[@rontauranac]

"... the first steam engine able to move on his own power. The name of this lad was Richard Trevithick. " You may not have heard about Joseph Cugnot.

[@Twisted_RC]

As an Engineer from Cornwall who was a steam apprentice growing up, Richard Trevithick is a legend imo 👍

[@NathanielPiscian]

Bless Richard trevithich

[@gw7624]

You can't get more British than inventing a world-changing device and then going for a 'few pints'.

[@nigelperyer9354]

Fred dibnah told us and educated us all so much in later years a man before his time and that is why we have so many preserved railways and the big interest in steam rallies all over the country I'm from bournemouth 20 miles away from the great dorset steam fair met the good man many year ago and his enthusiasm has ignited and bought to the fore how good this island was in making engines and machinery

[@midnightexpress3604]

I think it was my Grandfather who had a Teacher with the Last name Trevithick, this was Mrs Trevithick, so either his wife Jane or one of his Daughters keeping their Maiden name Or just completely un-related.

[@backinblack03]

Leaving a boiler on while going to the pub is quite a British think

[@jacehackworth6413]

I really appreciate any pre-rainhill trials information. I never new Trevithick made so many locomotives. Could you make a video on Mathew Murray sometime?

[@Poliss95]

See Anthony Dawson's channel.

[@MySteamChannel]

Big big thanks to Mr.Trevithick!

[@EllieMaes-Grandad]

The 'train' is that which is pulled, the waggons, the carriages. What pulls them is the locomotive (engine). You'd think these people would know that . . .

[@PhilMacVee]

I'm late to the party but would ask "did he design and build a steam "engine" hauled train or a steam "train""? I don't understand what a "steam train" is unless it is a lazy way of saying steam hauled train. Trevithick designed and had built a steam "locomotive" which could draw a train of wagons or carriages. It was not the train which was steam, it was the locomotive! By the way: we have railway stations in the UK not "train stations" The use of this Atlantic expression drives me to despair. Thanks for the upload.

[@AcuraLvR82]

Just like the steam pressure relief valve and overheat plug, I suspect when we start teleporting people like in Star Trek a few dozen unfortunate souls will have their patterns spread across the UV spectrum before we invent the pattern buffer lol.

[@MorrisHillmanProductions]

William Murdoch was one of my many times removed great grandfathers. Thank you for mentioning him!

[@SantaFe19484]

Trevithick never could have imagined that a hundred years after his time steam power would have been a dominant form of transportation in most developed countries.

[@hurrdurrmurrgurr]

Ah, the good old days where your invention could kill people, get redesigned, kill even more and you could chalk it up to experience.

[@vicandvin]

Trevithick is an ancestor of mine unfortunately after all his greatness he his buried in a paupers grave. I'm so grateful that there are people telling his story.... I agree this is the man who put steam into motion

[@K_fxn]

Maybe we are related hahaha he is in my family tree as well

[@markus129]

According historians and books, the first steam machine was patented by Thomas Savery in 1689. But in 1600, almost one hundred years before, Jerónimo de Ayanz had patented in Spain, one steam machine similar to that patented by Savery. These machines were used to pump out water in flooded mines, and is the first use of steam with industrial purposes; this device it is considered to be the precedents for James Wat's steam engines

[@railwayjade]

Thankfully the gentleman never gave up

[@concept5631]

Pretty crazy that the development of the steam engine was at the same time as the Napoleonic Wars.

[@BabyWarship]

Hello TOT, I wonder if you could make a video about the topic of "Fowlers Ghost" if anyone is unfamiliar fowlers ghost is about a 2-4-0 fireless loco which was a failure (just read wiki) there's only one known photo of the loco

[@RobSchofield]

Another excellent tale - how about coverage of The Butterly Company and their impact on plateways/railways?

[@chrisloder3363]

My 6 times great grand uncle was Samuel Homfray, the proprietor of the Penydarren ironworks at the time. He was the ironmaster who made the bet. 😊✨

[@stingky3689]

Imagine if the engines were alive and once he used them for travel, the faces just appeared lmfao that would definitely freak him out

[@walterbennie816]

A Watt high pressure steam engine on wheels. His grandfather pinched one of Watt's drawings. Boulton and Watt had to demand it back.

[@jerrysgardentractorsengine2243]

FUN FACT: the Grand Trunk Railway of Canada had a 4-4-0 named Trevithick (engine 209) that was used in the construction of Victoria Bridge in Quebec Ironically, the Trevithick was used to build a bridge designed by Robert Stephenson

[@iaev2500a3]

Fun Fact: William Murdoch was the late first officer on the Titanic

[@jamesjenner8159]

Going up Camborne Hill coming down, the steam was building up, the wheels going round, Going up Camborne Hill coming down-------. Richard Trevithick retired to a Kiddlywink for his lunch and not a tavern or pub. My Granfer worked in the mines as well, as did his father before him, both coming from St Just in Penwith. Time Richard Trevithick was honoured! Kernow bys vyken!

[@erikc.1087]

And to think that a mere 100 years later, steam technology would progress to a point where the Pennsylvania E6 would produce 1,000hp per cylinder

[@cvgthedaydreamfairygirl8092]

Well you know what they say “a good thing had to start somewhere”

[@Drif19]

Nice vídeo but did you recovered from covid and from the.... "live"?

[@ChimpManZ1264]

I always remember on Railroad Tycoon II, building the Baltimore to Philadelphia section of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad you have the Trevithick and the John Bull locomotives. Always went with the John Bull because Trevithick didn't transport goods in time to make money. Then came the C-Type and it was bye bye John Bull hello faster trains which I need for long distance.

[@SmallTown_Studio]

Mr. Trevithick and Mr. Newcomen should be the ones being taught about in schools when the industrial revolution unit takes place. But no. Instead we must learn that "John Deere invented the steel plough" and that "James Watt invented the steam engine." James Watt only perfected Newcomen's design!

[@renefrijhoff2484]

Nice little background. I do have a model of his steam locomotive, the one seen @1:42

[@jordanpeters3746]

Railways as we know them, with trains pulling heavy loads, were not possible until the discovery (in around 1820) of how to make the stronger iron needed for the tracks.

[@Yamauma-No.10]

The first known steam locomotives and presumed inventions of them are the two modelles built by Mister John Fitch. They were only scale-modelles, but they were fully functioning. He demonstrated at least one before the Continental Congress and the Cabinet of President George Washington alongside other Founding Fathers. The first modelle was tragically lost to a house fire, but the second was found in an attic. Mister Fitch is also misceedited with inventing the Steam Boat, of which the title of Inventor goes to his familiar Mister Robert Fulton, whom ran A test and held A grand opening alongside Mister Fitch n the Hudson River. Both launched their companies, publicly opened, and began their passenger services the same day.

[@emilioi.valdez6680]

Think you'll do Matthew Murray and the Stephensons next?

[@garryferrington811]

I guess you could say he invented the steam train. I would have said locomotive, but I guess trains pulled by steam locomotives would be steam trains. Very American.

[@aliminator1310]

HAPPY NEW YEAR, TRAIN OF THOUGHT!!!

[@TankEngineMedia]

Interesting history of the first steam engine, I guess that makes the rocket the 4th (maybe) engine Edit I’m second I guess

[@Pallanamnjavelet]

The real madlad in this story is the guy that named Ding Dong Mines. Mint!

[@williamkennedy5492]

A great man and a better engineer than stevenson, who undermined Trevithick at every opportunity and by doing so put back development of high pressure steam years. The old folk song remembers Trevithick " going up Cambourne hill coming down "

[@Poliss95]

Trevithick and Stephenson, (not Stevenson), were good friends. Stephenson paid for Trevithick's trip back from South America to England when Trevithick was broke. Maybe you're thinking of Watt?

[@Empireofignorance7817]

When we briefly talked about this in American history I had to contain myself from "um actuallying him" because I knew if I did start talking about this I would take up the entire class

[@Sckuttle]

Keep in mind,Steam engines are over a decade older than photographs

[@kernowpictures2002]

My hero as the inventor of the train

[@freddieellis8449]

He an ancestor of mine.

[@noahwail2444]

Absolutely one of my great ingineering heroes. What he laid the ground for, realy chanced the world beyond recoknition, shure would like to have a pint with him! ;o)

[@josephmarrison4606]

The God of Steam Railways.

[@HardstyleMania]

Proud to be Cornish ❤

[@JeanJeannie-n8t]

Awesome

[@minibus9]

this is awesome

[@lukeslocomotives]

Society when Trevithick invented the train:

[@TheStickCollector]

I want to be like this man

[@lawrencelewis2592]

Wasn't it that Trevithick invented the locomotive, but Stephenson invented the railway?

[@Poliss95]

Neither. Cugnot invented the steam locomotive and the Austrians invented the railway.

[@lawrencelewis2592]

@@Poliss95 Cugnot invented the locomotive? I thought he invented an artillery tractor. Didn't know about the Austrians. Can you tell more about it?

[@Alex-cw3rz]

The ding dong mine lol

[@qsmdman]

yes he finally got regonition with the 2 pound coin, the in dustrial reveloution started in Cornwal

[@alasdairblack393]

Video title correction - locomotive or Engine, not “train”.

[@vajraloka1]

But where was he born?

[@420sakura1]

People making fun of electric car should watching. No technology is perfect or good at its infancy.

[@K8thebest_Gaming]

3:01 just a heads up it’s said like grenich

[@malcolmloud9389]

What happened to the original penydarren

[@Poliss95]

Scrapped.

[@sockstarnik]

He was ‘the man’

[@perhapsadog7130]

So you are telling me the man made a car... And we just dont talk about that?

[@patrickskelton3610]

Just a thought, Stevenson committed us to standard gauge railways. Imagine if the Brunel 7ft gauge had been adopted - faster roomier trains.

[@Poliss95]

Brunel was wrong. It's the length of the locomotive that determines speed, not the width. 7ft gauge would have been far more expensive to build. Stephenson didn't invent standard gauge. The gauge already existed at the colliery he was employed by.

[@captaintorch983]

No. Richard Trevithick built the first steam locomotive. There is no such thing as a steam train.

[@andrewsear937]

It's a steam locomotive. Do not confuse the words train and locomotive.

[@templar_1138]

There's something to be said for the inventor of a proof-of-concept.

[@haroldpearson6025]

O Hell. He invented the steam LOCOMOTIVE. Long before the invention of the steam LOCOMOTIVE trains were pulled by horses and even people. The thing that follows a wedding dress is called a train not a dress. 😬

[@chansolo1254]

Hello my names Jack Trevithick and my brother Richard Trevithick direct descendant of the one Richard Trevithick

[@mediocreman6323]

3:10 - yeah, this is why you need to blow off steam before you are in a state where you just can't take it and worse things might happen 😃

[@definitelynotakgbagent6612]

Now I’m not saying he is wrong but wasn’t puffing devil made by Timothy Hackworth?

[@whatdoyouexactlymeanbyhandle]

Nope

[@LuminusRaven]

... wait ... at Ding-dong mine ...

[@DonaldandDougles57646]

Theo is that engine again Thomas

[@stekra3159]

Well he used the tech that was alredy ther and improved it whle coping from other disines. Woud he bild it with our copy right laws?

[@randomnickify]

Patent rights existed already by then, inventors were suing each other constantly.

[@walterrudich2175]

The "l" in Holborn is silent

[@Poliss95]

No. Trevithick did not invent the world's first steam engine able to move under its own power. That honour goes to Nicolas Cugnot. The 1803 locomotive had a gauge of three feet one and a quarter inches. The Coalbrookdale Iron Works had no plateway of that gauge. Possibly it was built for the Tredegar iron works which had a plateway of the correct gauge. George Stephenson did not build Rocket. That was built by his son Robert and Henry Booth.

[@Daddy_donaldanddouglas]

Ding dong mine💀

[@MirzaAhmed89]

I thought Holborn was pronounced "Hoh-burn".

[@Poliss95]

Greenwich is certainly pronounced wrong in the video.

[@FILIPINO_AKA_ME]

BRO THAT MY CLASSMATED GREAT GREAT GREAT GREAT GRANDPA WTF