300 years of steam on the Tyne. Matt Ridley

Transcription

1 300 years of steam on the Tyne Matt Ridley

2 2 Tyneside in the 1700s

3 Robert Allen:

4 Robert Allen:

5 Three Tyneside men of steam Marten Triewald George Stephenson Charles Parsons

6 Work Water Wind Horses Heat Wood Peat Coal

7 Henry Beighton s first ever (1717) engraving of a Newcomen engine, probably at Griff? Oldest known drawing of a Newcomen engine, found in Worcester College, Oxford, 1925

8 Brand 1789

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10 In the year 1717, when similar machines had been constructed at three different places in England, it happened that Messrs Ridley from New-Castle also made an agreement to the effect that they should be permitted to use fire-machines against a yearly payment of 400 pounds sterling, in order to be able to utilise and work a big and rich coal-mine, close to the town of New-Castle and its River Tyne, which mine in all times had been much coveted but found to be so wet, that it had already within the memory of man ruined two wealthy families. Marten Triewald, A Short Description of the Fire- and Air- Machine at the Dannemora Mines, 1734

11 Mr. Nich Ridley, who was then staying in London, was not only very much perturbed because of the youthfulness of his engineer, but also feared that his competitors and other owners of coal mines in the neighbourhood would get an opportunity to corrupt this youth, so that he would not serve him faithfully. In these precarious circumstances Mr. Ridley, who had known me from early childhood, and moreover was aware with what diligence and zest I had been studying natural science and mechanics in London, was led by the wonderful foresight of God to the idea of persuading me to assist his young engineer, and to watch him in case he did not serve his master with all the faithfulness and honesty required in such a delicate position. Thus he persuaded me to go with him to New-Castle, promising to promote me to the knowledge of how to construct fire-machines, and I for my part promised to serve him loyally against a fair reward. Marten Triewald, A Short Description of the Fire- and Air- Machine at the Dannemora Mines, 1734

12 12 Richard Ridley

13 An 1883 illustration depicting Denis Papin attempting to sail his steam-powered boat on the Weser River, assailed by fearful boatmen and shippers in 1707.

14 Denis Papin Thomas Savery Thomas Newcomen Savery s 1698 patent: "A new invention for raising of water and occasioning motion to all sorts of mill work by the impellent force of fire, which will be of great use and advantage for draining mines, serving towns with water, and for the working of all sorts of mills where they have not the benefit of water nor constant winds."

15 Newcomen steam engine, 1712 Heat Fire Work Motion 15

16 ospheric_engine#/media/file:newcomen_atm ospheric_engine_animation.gif

17 From: John Swallow (2013) Atmospheric Engines

18 The miners now had in their possession a machine powerful enough to command the water in their deepest mines; the thing, which of all others, they were at this time most in want of. Robert Lindsay Galloway, 1882

19 No diminishing returns

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21 Trevithick 1801 Hedley 1813 Blenkinsop 1811 Stephenson 1814

22 When George started in 1814 others had given up, leaving clues for him to see but no definite guidelines. From 1814 to 1826 there are no records of anyone but Stephenson building any new locomotive engines. He produced his at such speed, each with a new development, that others waited and wondered, most either refusing to believe the stories they were hearing or convinced that it would all end in disaster once again. Hunter Davies, George Stephenson (1975/2004)

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24 Heat Work

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27 First compound steam turbine, built by Parsons in 1887

28 Parsons works, Heaton

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30 Modern combined cycle gas turbine

31 Work Heat

32 The "Turbinia" (1897) and the "Mauretania (1907)

33 In conclusion, I would venture to predict that the use of the land and marine turbine will steadily increase, and that the improvements that are being made to still further increase its economy will for a long time enable the turbine to maintain its present leading position as a prime mover. CA Parsons, 1911

34 Energy makes civilisation possible

35 Share of primary energy consumption in the United Kingdom, Fouquet (2010)

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39 How long does it take to earn an hour of reading light? Tallow candle hrs Labour cost of 1,200 lumen hours at average US wage Kerosene lamp mins Incandescent bulb secs CF bulb 1997 ½ sec Nordhaus 1997:

40 The energy revolution Average Briton uses 35,000 kwh a year A man on an exercise bike can produce 0.8 kwh in 8 hours. So the average family of 4 in the UK consumes as much energy as if it had 400 slaves, working 8-40 hour shifts.

41 Cleanliness, convenience, cost Gas Electricity Kerosene Charcoal Wood Dung 41 Living standards

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43 UK coal production /07/u-s-called-king-of-coal-some-disagree/

44 Fossil fuels save forest 44 Source: E.A. Wrigley, Energy and the Industrial Revolution, and author s research

45 Bioenergy vs biodiversity Haiti-Dominican Republic border

46 Three centuries of steam on Tyneside Matt Ridley

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48 Fossil fuels raise living standards Coal has underpinned China s massive and unprecedented growth in output, fuelling an economic miracle that has helped to improve the standard of living in many countries. International Energy Agency Sep 2013 Why Is Coal, Which Brought Us Electrification, Sanitation, Higher Standard Of Living, Extended Life Expectancy And Much More DEMONIZED?