Victorian Engineering

Describing the course of British engineering throughout the 19th century, this survey gives accounts of such major developments as the building of the railways, the growth of ship-building and the introduction of gas and electricity. It examines the individual achievements of Brunel, Joseph Paxton and Robert Stephenson among others, and explains how industrialization changed the face of the environment. The book concludes by considering why the Victorians' mood of optimism turned to one of disillusionment. It argues that the Victorians failed to come to terms with the consequences of industrialization, and that many of the innovations of British engineers found their best expression in other countries.

L.T.C. Rolt was an engineer and craftsman, whose passion for Britain’s industrial heritage led him to become one of the foremost historians of the 20th century. He was joint founder of the Inland Waterways Association. He also wrote Narrow Boat, Red for Danger, and the famous Landscape Trilogy.