Stephenson was named in the BBC's television show and list of the 100 Greatest Britons following a UK-wide vote, placing at no
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George Stephenson
George Stephenson was an English civil engineer and mechanical engineer. Renowned as the "Father of Railways", Stephenson was considered by the Victorians as a great example of diligent application and thirst for improvement. His chosen rail gauge, sometimes called "Stephenson gauge", was the basis for the 4-foot-8+1⁄2-inch (1.435 m) standard gauge used by most of the world's railways.
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science · English mechanical and civil engineer (1781–1848) · civil engineer · inventor · mechanical engineer · railway engineer · locomotive designer · engineer · also George Stephenson, Stephenson
Born 9 June 1781 · Died 12 August 1848 · Q133614
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2002· 1 entry
2001· 1 entry
On Queen's Campus in Stockton-on-Tees but relocated to Durham in 2018, is named after him
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1881· 1 entry
At Crystal Palace by 15,000 people, and it was George who was featured on the reverse of the Series E five pound note issued by the Bank of England between 1990 and 2003
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1862· 1 entry
A memorial to Stephenson by John Graham Lough was erected close to Newcastle Central Station, in his hometown of Newcastle upon Tyne
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1859· 1 entry
At a penny a sheet, and at one point there was a suggestion to move George's body to Westminster Abbey
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1857· 1 entry
And although attacked as biased in the favour of George at the expense of his rivals as well as his son, it was popular and 250,000 copies were sold by 1904
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1848· 1 entry
Died 1848-08-12.
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1833· 1 entry
A House of Commons committee found that Stephenson had equal claim to having invented the safety lamp
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1830· 1 entry
Originally to consult on the Leicester and Swannington Railway, a line primarily proposed to take coal from the western coal fields of the county to Leicester
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1829· 1 entry
Its directors arranged a competition to decide who would build its locomotives, and the Rainhill Trials were run in October 1829
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1821· 2 entries
And assisted by his 18-year-old son Robert, construction began the same year
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A parliamentary bill was passed to allow the building of the Stockton and Darlington Railway (S&DR)
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1819· 1 entry
But it too was withdrawn, apparently because it was under-boilered and again caused damage to the track
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1817· 1 entry
But was withdrawn from service because of damage to the cast-iron rails
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1815· 1 entry
Aware of the explosions often caused in mines by naked flames, Stephenson began to experiment with a safety lamp that would burn in a gaseous atmosphere without causing an explosion
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1814· 1 entry
A travelling engine designed for hauling coal on the Killingworth wagonway named Blücher after the Prussian general Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher (It was suggested the name sprang from Blücher's rapid march of his army i
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1811· 1 entry
The pumping engine at High Pit, Killingworth was not working properly and Stephenson offered to improve it
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1806· 1 entry
George's wife Frances died of consumption, which would nowadays be termed as tuberculosis
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1803· 1 entry
And in 1804 they moved to Dial Cottage at West Moor, near Killingworth where George worked as a brakesman at Killingworth Pit
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1802· 1 entry
Married Frances Henderson and moved to Willington Quay, east of Newcastle
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1801· 1 entry
Began work at Black Callerton Colliery south of Ponteland as a 'brakesman', controlling the winding gear at the pit
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1781· 1 entry
Born 1781-06-09.
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