Richard Trevithick

Steam engineer and pioneer of the railways

Born:

1771

Died:

1833

Place of Birth:

Cornwall

Famous For:

Steam engineer and pioneer of the railways

Biography:

Learning his craft in the tin mines of Cornwall, Trevithick came to Merthyr Tydfil and paved the way for the railway age by building the first steam engine to pull a load on rails.

Richard Trevithick was born in Carn Brea between Camborne and Redruth in Cornwall, and grew up amongst the tin mines where his father worked with pumping engines.

A huge man, who could throw a huge sledgehammer over an engine house, Trevithick was also a man of vision dismissed as foolish for attempting the impossible.

Creator of the high pressure steam engine, his reputation as a brilliant inventor reached Merthyr Tydfil.

Samuel Homfray, master of Penydarren ironworks, obtained a share in Trevithick's patent and asked him to build a stationary engine.

At that time, the late eighteenth century, horse-drawn railways were used to carry coal and iron from mines in the South Wales Valleys and other industrial centres.

But Trevithick recognised that a steam engine on wheels - a locomotive - would be more effective than horses at pulling heavy loads.

A rival ironmaster - believed to be Richard Crawshay - dismissed the idea as preposterous.

But Homfrey had faith in Trevithick and bet his rival 500 guineas - a fortune in those days - that the engine would successfully pull a ten ton load of iron along a nine-and-a-half mile stretch of tramroad from Penydarren to Abercynon.

On 21 February 1804 history was made when Trevithick's locomotive "Penydarren" (replica pictured above) completed the journey in four hours and five minutes.

In fact, the load was much heavier than planned, up to 25 tons including the weight of the engine itself, the wagons, and around 70 people perched on them.

Despite his pioneering work with locomotives, Trevithick soon returned to his original job building stationary steam engines for water pumping.

He had no interest in fame and fortune except as a means of funding further experiments, and left the development of the railways to others such as George Stephenson.

As a result, Trevithick died in relative poverty at Dartford, Kent, in 1833, and was carried to a pauper's grave by colleagues at an engineering works.

Many reminders of Trevithick's pioneering work can be seen today in Merthyr - you can walk along the tramroad, see Trevithick's Tunnel, and view a replica of his locomotive outside Cyfarthfa Castle.

A series of special events were staged in the town in 2004 to mark the 200th anniversary of the historic event.

Moment of Glory:

Achieving the first rail journey by steam power in 1804.

your comments

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Morando Mari from Saudi Arabia
cool dude

Sanjay Rana
Some of the readers may be interested in the mystery surrounding the exact location of the demonstration of Catch Me Who Can, which was a rather unique engine designed by Trevithick - www.steamcircus.info

Pam Hainsworth - Australia
My family came from Cornwall where they worked in the tin mines. We have recently been to the UK and were thrilled to cycle on the Trevithick tramway near Abercycnon where the granite sleepers are still intact. Also saw a model of his engine in the Science Museum in London. At school we learnt about Stephenson, not Trevithick.

John Lewis
Richard Trevithick never got the recognition that he deserved as the true pioneer of the steam train. He was an engineering genius.

Nikki Trevithick, Swansea, NSW, Australia
I believe Richard Trevithick was a great man who was not recognised in his time for his achievements in life - I find that sad.

Dafydd Lloyd, Adelaide, South Australia
Spent many an hour fishing the Taff along the old tram road, down to Abercynon in the late 50's. Trevithick was indeed a great inventor. George Stephenson stole his thunder!!

Class 8 Derwendeg Primary
Richard Trevithick....his train was terrific! We enjoyed learning about his life.

Brian Thomas, Merthyr Tydfil
Trevithick never had the recognition he deserved, his achievements were always overshadowed by Stephenson.

Neil Palmer, Co Durham
I always watch Fred Dibnah on the BBC and he always talks about Richard Trevithick, one of the great inventors of his time. PS I am originally from Ebbw Vale, and worked as a lad in the steelworks, which is no more (sad).

T Lee, Camborne, Cornwall
Richard Trevithick's father was the mine's Captain. Trevithick Day is held in Camborne on the last Saturday in April.

Andy Nicol, Wakefield
I was born in Merthyr and lived in Trevethick Street which was named after Richard Trevithick. I didn't appreciate its significance until I read about Trevithick's life at the local library.

Simon Wyatt from Didcot, Oxfordshire
Richard Trevithick was the true father of the modern railway. He was the first and everyone else took the credit when they used his idea to make better things. Kudos to him, Richard Trevithick, the genius.

Daniel Callender Australia new south wales
Richard Trevithick was probadley one of the greatest engineers ever he helped create the the modern world

William Thomas,Pontefract
As I was born in Quakers Yard,I always beg to differ with the poular missconception that the steam locomotive was invented by George Stephenson.We used to walk down the tram road to Abercynon and quite a lot of the railway lines were still intact then (late 1940's)

Anna Pohlman
What an honour to be related to such a man. He truly was a genius devoted to improving people's everyday lives.

H. Roberts, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Am I right in thinking that a 'pauper's grave' would be unmarked and in a perhaps long-forgetten location? I certainly hope not. Such a brilliant man as Trevithick should have his gravesite marked as a national treasure.

Calvin E Morgan, New Tredegar .
I saw a plaque all about this great man at a railway open day in Belgium.

Sylvan Thomas, Port Talbot
Brilliant individual with tremendous foresight. We need people of his calibre to guide the transportation system of this nation once again.

B Dunscombe
A marvellous engineer with a fantastic insight to the future of modern travel which is now been proven to be a brilliant thing for the modern generation. Since then things have obviously been improved and no doubt will continue to do so.

Anne Dunscombe, Merthyr Tydfil
An absolutely brilliant inventor ... to think when we travel by train he was the instigator of rail travel.

Llandough Primary School - South Wales
This man is great because he invented trains which made much faster travel for the local people.

Mike Napp from Hayfork
I believe that this man was a genius - he helped our country to greatness.

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