Fred Dibnah takes the viewer from the very early efforts at steam power up through the Newcommen and Watt engines. He focuses mainly on their first uses, in pumping water and operating collieries.
Fred looks at the key role that was played by steam power in the extraordinary expansion of industrial Britain in the 18th and 19th centuries, and at the continued use of huge stationary steam engines in mills, collieries and steelworks until well into the 20th century.
Fred traces the development of steam power. He looks at early experiments in its use for road transport, and at the development of the traction engine.
In the penultimate episode of this series tracing the history of steam power, Dibnah follows the progression of steam ships from early paddle steamers to the use of steam turbines in modern vessels.
Fred Dibnah looks at the advances made with the invention of the steam turbine, still used to generate electricity in coal-fired and nuclear power stations.
