Stationary steam engines were the quiet powerhouses of the Industrial Revolution. They provided the driving force behind every manufacturing process for well over a century, as well as drainage of mines and allowing clean water supplies for the majority of our towns and cities. From a small sewage pump at the edge of a field of a few horsepower, to a 12,000 horsepower leviathan rolling armoured plate for battleships, these wonders of the steam age kept working for many decades, unseen by many, but often loved by the men who operated and maintained them. The engine houses they were kept in could be plain or ornate, and a rich variety of boilers provided the steam for them. This book looks at all of these aspects and what it was like to run a large steam engine for industry. The legacy of these iron giants is seen in the dozens of engines preserved for posterity all over the UK, in museums or in their original locations, giving thousands of people the chance to see them or enjoy getting involved in their preservation. This book is part of the Britain’s Heritage series, which provides definitive introductions to the riches of Britain’s past, and is the perfect way to get acquainted with stationary steam engines in all their variety.

Anthony Coulls is Senior Curator of Rail Transport and Technology at the National Railway Museum, York. The author of several books and articles, he lives in County Durham with his family and vintage road roller.