Turbinia, the pioneer steam turbine-driven vessel launched in 1894

Designed and developed by Charles Parsons, in 1897 Turbinia proved thesuperiority of turbine power for driving ships when she achieved a trial speedof 32.76 knots (37.73 mph; 60.71km/h). Toward the end of the 19th century the advances in steam engine design pioneered by James Watt, which set in train the industrial revolution, had been exploited to the full. The new steam turbine technologyperfected by Parsons provided a similar quantum leap in power and efficiency,suiting the steam engine to the energy needs of the 20th century on land and atsea. ON DISPLAY AT DISCOVERY MUSEUM, NEWCASTLE; OPEN DAILY