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More than 5000 entries on the history, culture and life of Britain (published in 1993 by Macmillan, now out of print)
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George Stephenson
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(1781–1848) Engineer and pioneer of *railways who was entirely self-taught in technology (he only learnt to read at 18). Born at Wylam in Northumberland, he was in charge of the engines in a colliery only 19km/12m away, at Killingworth, when *Puffing Billy and Wylam Dilly were put to work at Wylam in 1813. Stephenson set about designing his own first locomotive; called *Blücher (a year in advance of *Waterloo), it went into service in 1814. He also produced a safety lamp for miners similar to the model which, unknown to him, was being invented at the same time by *Davy.
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Stephenson's career moved outside the world of the local collieries when he provided the locomotives for the *Stockton and Darlington railway in 1825; it progressed greatly when he was commissioned in 1826 to construct the line for the *Liverpool and Manchester railway; and it was crowned when *Rocket (designed and built by his son Robert) won the *Rainhill trials in 1829. In 1823 he had established a business in Newcastle-upon-Tyne to manufacture locomotives, and until his retirement in 1845 he was chief engineer to many of the developing railway companies.
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