Richard Trevithick's London Steam Circus
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- Опубліковано 2 сер 2024
- In 1808 London witnessed an early- and very important- piece of railway history: the 'Steam Circus'; a demonstration line, close to present day Euston station, which the public were invited to view and take a ride on.
The Steam Circus was the brainchild of the Cornish engineer and inventor, Richard Trevithick and in this video we'll be exploring his life and work, including the Steam Circus, the 'Puffing Devil', the Penydarren Tramroad and the London Steam Carriage...
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Chapters
00:00 Intro
01:36 Richard Trevithick
03:12 Harnessing Steam
05:43 The Puffing Devil
07:04 The London Steam Carriage
10:43 Trevithick's Penydarren Steam Railway
13:08 The London Steam Circus
16:32 Later Life
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Links for this video:
Camborne's Annual Trevithick Day
www.trevithickday.org.uk/
Ironbridge Gorge Museums
www.ironbridge.org.uk
The Royal Bull & Victoria Hotel
royalvictoria.southcoastinns....
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My other links:
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/ cabmirror
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robert_lord...
Thanks again for watching, friends. Stay well, and please be sure to stay tuned!
***
Credits
FOOTAGE & IMAGES:
Cornwall Footage: Matthew Bryant, via Pexels.com
Tregajorran Image: Tony Atkin, via Geograph
Steam Pistons
• 1997 Titanic Reciproca...
Steam Animation: Cottonbro Studio, via Pexels.com
Cornwall Map 1787: David Rumsey Maps
James Watt Engine at the Science Museum
• James Watt's Steam Eng...
Coal burning footage: Taryn Elliott, via pexels.com
Puffing Devil Footage: Cornishpastyman (Creative Commons)
• RICHARD TREVITHICK'S P... )
London Steam Carriage Footage
• Trevithick road locomo...
Replica of Penydarren Steam Locomotive: Jaggery, Creative Commons via Geograph
Footage of Trevithick Replica Engine (Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust)
• Trevithick - The World...
Euston Map: www.openstreetmap.org
The images at 2:05, 02:22, 02:28, 02:40, 02:59, 03:58, 04:30, 04:51, 08:45, 09:22, 10:09, 11:34, 13:14, 17:03, 17:56 and 18:28 were artificially generated using Midjourney.
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SOUND EFFECTS (All Creative Commons, via freesound.org)
Steam engine sound: Craigsmith
Fire Sound: Tosha73
Computer sound: yottasounds
Traction Engine Sound: Mike_Stranks
Steam engine: 3bagbrew
Rushing Water: Mikewest
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MUSIC:
Prelude No. 4 by Chris Zabriskie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. creativecommons.org/licenses/...
Source: chriszabriskie.com/preludes/
Artist: chriszabriskie.com/
Far Behind (Silent Partner)
Muffin Man (Cooper Cannell)
The Trapezist (Quincas Moreira)
Pastorale (Joel Cummins)
Eternal Hope by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. creativecommons.org/licenses/...
Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-...
Artist: incompetech.com/
Passing Time (Kevin Macleod)
Cocktail Hour (Aaron Kenny)
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An excellent and poignant insight into a great pioneer. It’s inspiring also, as it goes to prove you never know when trying something new could lead to great things ! Nicely done Rob, such a sad ending.
Thank you Rachel, much appreciated
The critic's to new idea's abound as always.
choo choo chungus
He is my great great great great great great grandfather
Wow! @@awesomeperson5051
Trevithick anticipated the railway revolution by 25 years and even now doesn't get the attention he deserves for that.
Well said.
choo choo chungus
Thank you from Phoenix Arizona
Thanks you, good to have you here 🙂@@eddiea1213
Trevithick was of a dying breed: Men's who cared not for their own pockets, but for the progress and comfort of humanity as a whole. I am sure he now lies in Eternal rest and comfort. Greetings from Brazil and Sorry for bad english.
Beautiful comment my friend- your English is excellent 🇧🇷
Sad many of our great innovators were not appreciated in their own time. Amazing that they persevered in spite of the doubters. I thank them for their efforts.
Another fascinating story Rob. Thanks😊
Thank you Lozinozz 😊
@@Robslondon I understand that his resting place did have a marker at some point but it was probably destroyed in the 1850s
A beautifully executed and fitting tribute to a talented yet overlooked British Engineer. Thanks Rob.
Thank you so much Doug. Hope you're keeping well mate.
Amazing.... If it wasn't for pioneers like Richard Trevithick we wouldn't have progressed into the modern world we know today.
Well said Roger
If you are a Terry Pritchett fan, his book, raising steam steals a lot of this history including the steam circus and puts it in the disc world settings. It’s a fun read and like all his dis world novels finding the hidden links to our history is fabulous. If you are less fantasy world try his book Dodger, it’s based in Victorian London and uses famous people of the time to relate the story of the young mudlark, and cheekily suggests he was Dickens inspiration! Happy new year x
Oh! I didn’t realise that! I read some Disc World many years ago, will have to delve in again 😉 thanks and stay well
Thank you for bringing Trevithick to a wider audience how about Humphrey Davey another great Cornish innovator that took his knowledge to London
Thank you Rob., you make it so easy to absorb history. And thanks for bringing Richard Trevithick to our attention - what an adventurer! As if the steam forays weren't enough, the idea of traelling to Peru at that time must have been a logistical nightmare. Hats off to him and what a shame we don't have a proper place to pay homage.
Lovely comment and much agreed, thank you!
Thank you. He is one of the few heroes i have in my life, and now for over half a century. What a man!
You pick your heroes well Noah 😉
And there is also a statue of my cat at Euston station. When they extended Euston for HS1 they unearthed an old graveyard and in it found a coffin labelled Mathew Flinders. Flinders literally put Australia on the map as in he drew up the first map of Australia and put the name Australia on it. On his survey mission of Australia he took his cat, a ships cat named Trim, with him. So I named one of my cats after Trim. And a statue of Flinders and Trim was installed outside of Euston station a few years ago.
Ah, yes I know that statue well! I didn't realise the story behind it though; nice one Ian! ;-)
A man of honour and integrity whose contributions to life in general was overlooked.
A lovely, informative video rob well done for your research ❤️❤️
It’s a pleasure Tracy, thank you
Nice story here! I already knew Trevithick since many years as indirectly he brought the railway to the Netherlands as well.
Ah! I didn’t know that 😄🇳🇱
Thank you, Rob. A lovely presentation! Richard Trevithick is certainly remembered in Dartford. Many references are made to him around the town, including the Vic & Bull pub, and in the museum, and a steam fair to commemorate his work is held every year, in one form or another.
Thanks Nellie, I didn’t know they had a steam fair in Dartford; nice 😉
An excellent and extremely poignant tribute to this genius engineer. Merthyr Tydfil is my home town, and he is still remembered as a significant contributor in the role Merthyr played in the Industrial Revolution.
Thank you so much for the kind words Stephen, much appreciated sir. Hope my Welsh pronunciation was ok! 🏴
@Robslondon They were fine, Rob. Not sure about your Cornish, however!
You got the balance between facts and telling the human story spot on.
Thanks 😉@@stephendavies6949
Thank you! ;-) @@stephendavies6949
An excellent Sunday night video. 👌
Thank you Paul
Thank you, Rob, what I needed today. Let's built one of those and give it a drive through London! You have a great narrative voice and gift of bringing things to life. You could make street litter come alive and seem infinitely entertaining.
Gosh Jared, thank you so much- your comment is what I needed today!
Much appreciated my friend- and yes, would love to ride on a steam vehicle through London 😁
Thanks again and stay well
Absolutely agree, love your description because it reflects mine too. Opinion, I mean.
Thanks Rob, an enthralling look at the life and incredibly sad ending of an obviously great man.
Thank you very much Slycockney
What a great story. Thanks, Rob!
thank you 😊
Interesting to see the beginnings of steam engines which led to the railroads which transformed Britain and everywhere else, eventually. Love the MJ images.
Much appreciated Val, thank you :-)
With rain and wind preventing garden care I am working my pleasurable way through the cannon. Another great one!
Rob
Cheers Rob ;-)
So fascinating and informative vide once again Rob. It's a shame how easily such a pioneer and genius could be almost forgotten by the time of his death.
It's great to see how people today are still maintaining and showing replicas of his important contributions to science and industry.
Many thanks raymonde, nice comment.
Excellent video as always. Richard Trevithick was a true, fearless pioneer. A remarkable man that could make things happen.
Thank you; much agreed.
Thanks Rob, every video you produce is a delight.
That is so kind of you Huw, thank you- your kind words and generous support mean a lot to me. Thanks again my friend and stay well.
Thanks Rob I didn't realise that a 'train' existed that early
cheers John 😉
A charming little footnote to history, thank you!
Thank you!
Beautifully brought to light. Obviously an unsung pioneer, Thank you
Many thanks Simon
“Traaaaaaain don’t stop at Camborne Wednesdays!” 😂
🤣
Trevithick needs a statue in London to remember a marvellous innovator...
Very much agreed! He has one in Camborne I believe.
Bravo, Rob! Another important bit of history retold in a most interesting fashion.
I really appreciate that Paul, thank you sir.
Thanks Rob for another brilliantly researched and narrated vid
It's a pleasure, thank you for watching
Richard was undoubtedly a highly gifted person that got bored in school. Nowadays he would probably been sent to a special school or been provided with a curriculum that was more challenging.
I think you may be right Kelly!
Fascinating episode Rob. I wish I could have been around to see the Steam Circus, I would definitely have liked to ride around! ❤️😃 It’s upsetting that Richard Trevithick came to such a sad end. He contributed so much to our society and still not receiving the recognition he deserves. RIP Mr Trevithick 💔
Beautiful comment ladyellice, thank you ☺️
Thank you very much I never heard of Richard or his steam circus so it was wonderful to find out about it
Thanks so much Ron, glad to help :-) Stay well sir.
Very sympathetic presentation of an important engineer
Thank you Robbo
Amazing how you bring out so much information, original drawings , photos, old and today images, thank you
Any subject is interesting when seen and shared by you
Bless you Ida, many thanks :-)
Happy new year Rob, cracking video as always keep up the great work!
Thank you so much John, the same to you
Brilliant Rob, thank you! I really enjoyed this video, such a good job. He deserves such a wonderful bio.
Thank you Anne, that means a lot to me
Richard Trevithick has a further legacy - he also spawned a dynasty of railway locomotive engineers. His son, Francis Trevithick, was one of the first engineers of the London and North-Western Railway - which was headquartered at Euston. Three of Francis's sons also became eminent railway engineers both in this country and abroad and were active well into the 1990s.
Yes! Excellent point. If you look carefully at the Steam Carriage plaque on Leather Lane, you'll see it was unveiled by one of his descendants ;-)
Should have said: ..active well into the 1900s."@@Robslondon
I know what you mean ;-)@@BigJoeChrisLewis
TY for this, Trevithick disserves to have this recognition of such a great man in the 21st century.
Thank you! And well said 😉
Great sharing. I enjoyed watching it and loved it as always. Thank you Robert. 👍👍👍😍😍😍
Thank you Sharon! Hope you’re keeping well
Thanks Rob yet another brilliant video. I spend quite a bit of time in the Euston area and was unaware of the connection to Trevithick. What a sad end for such a great man whose drive and genius has shaped modern day rail travel.I have walked part of the Merthyr to Penydarren tram road.
Lovely comment Nigel, thank you. If you're in the area and have time, do check out his plaque on Gower Street; it's nice to be able to give him a nod. I would love to walk the Penydarren tram road! Need to plan a Welsh trip this year I think. Cheers and stay well.
What an amazing man who was ahead of his time. Very sad to see what happened to him in his final yrs. Another fine well presented video Rob. Happy New Yr.
Thank you Paul! Best to you too my friend, stay well.
Thanks Rob, we found that really interesting.
Thanks Stephen!
Thanks Rob for this insight into one of the world’s greatest Cornishmen.
Thank you Malcolm, it's a pleasure.
Another excellent video - thank you for all your hard work. 👍
It's a pleasure Sparky, thanks for watching
Way ahead of his time... such an amazing gentleman. Well done those people for trying to get him a pension. He certainly deserved it... shame on the government for not showing him more respect.
Brilliant video, thank you Rob 😊
Thank you Vicky and an excellent comment- yes; couldn’t agree more, he was very much ahead of his time. Thanks again and stay well.
Just caught up with this one, what a great man it brought a tear to my eye.
Bless you Paul, thank you.
This is all so interesting and so well put together. Thank you.
Much appreciated Roderic, thank you
Don't forget Hackworth and his pioneering work at Shildon near Durham. Excellent work as usual Rob. Love your work. 👍😊
Thank you! And yes; spot on ;-)
It's a great episode again, Rob.
Thank you so much Jonathan
Thank you Rob excellent.
Thank you ☺️
This was well done, thank you for bringing to modern viewers someone I was unfamiliar with!
It's a pleasure; thank you so much for watching!
Thanks very much for sharing all your hard work 🎉
Thank you, it's a pleasure!
Yet another interesting and enjoyable video mate!
PS....Keep 'em coming!
Thanks Dave… I’ll do my best 😉
Excellent as ever. Many thanks Rob
Many thanks!
Thanks Rob for another great video into the life and times of a genius and an important pioneer. A sad ending to his amazing life but a legacy that will always be spoken about and never forgotten.
Lovely comment Andi, thank you
Thank you so much for this one 🎉🎉
Thank you Barbara, it’s a pleasure 😊
Time to join The Trevithick Society. Wonderful people, superb Newsletters & Journal. John Kennedy 🚂
😊 Another great, informative, educational and entertaining video, Rob. Thank you, and a belated
Happy New Year to you & yours.
May your ongoing trends be ever successful, they cannot really be "better" surely, as are all already "Top Notch" in every way. 🙂🧡🏴🇬🇧🖖
Thank you so much; a lovely comment, and very best wishes to you too ☺️
Thank you Rob for another great video. One might even be tempted to say "proper job!"
I particularly liked the fact that you diplomatically avoided the somewhat senseless spat about who is the father of steam locomtion.
Not at all fêted in his lifetime and then suffering from obscurity through the mists of time ever since, it is only very recently that he is beginning to be given the respect and rehabilitation of his place in creating the modern world that he is so evidently owed by each and every human being alive today!
Lovely comment, many thanks indeed ;-)
A subject about which I knew absolutely nothing brought to life in Rob's inimitable style! It sounds as though the first trip made by the steam carriage (Leather Lane to Paddington via Lords) might have been a prototype test for The Knowledge! 😂 Happy New Year, Rob!
Ha ha! Great comment; yes that would indeed make a good Knowledge route! Thank you as always for your kind words Tragicyouth, hope you’re keeping well
What an extraordinary man!
I finally got around to watching this! 🤓 Once again, a very well made and interesting video! 👍
Thank you asheland! Hope you’re keeping well
@@Robslondon excellent! Thanks! ☺️
A superb video again, Rob
Thank you so much! 😀
Thank you for this inspiring and informative video. I was unfamiliar with the development of steam engines for rail transport. I was interested in his early life. I teach children who society think are dull or rude and undeserving of an education. All teachers should learn more about persons like Richard Travithick to remind them that genius is often hidden in unlikely vessels.
A beautiful comment, thank you- and I can tell you are an amazing teacher. Thank you for all you do linneab and stay well.
I have rarely travelled from Euston and, as a teenager, went mostly from St Pancras to my brother in Nottingham.
In my adult life I have twice used the mainline station. On both occasions it was through work.
The latter I had returned from a trip “up north” with two large mobile exhibition containers. As I waited to be collected by Taxi I was approached by a young woman and asked if I was looking for business? I can only assume we would’ve “performed” behind the pop-up displays! 😊
The first time I was carrying a large aluminium ladder to a film shoot for Royal Mail I was assisting on. The camera had set up on one of the platforms and, as I gleefully carried my ladder I heard rather loud shouting. Oblivious to whom was shouting, I was soon accosted by a station worker who called me a rather unpleasant word (rhymes with punt). He then pointed to my ladder and the overhead power cables suggesting that the arc between the two would fry me alive!
I hastily dropped the ladder…
😳
Excellent production, better than anything on TV! Such a pity Trevithick isn't as well remembered as he should be. Incidentally, the Euston Arch was not situated there at 1:00 directly on the Euston Road. It was set much further back, and I believe that if it was still there it would be somewhere on the station concourse.
Thanks- yes, I didn’t want to risk getting hit by a bus 😂
That was fascinating although I would have wished for a happier end for him but he did have loyal work friends. Thank you for giving this strange wonderful man some much deserved attention
Thank you so much Lindasue, lovely comment. Stay well.
Thank you for making this. A wonderful presentation. I wanted to point out that the Steam Circus could be considered the direct forefather of modern amusement parks. Firstly, it was probably the first time the public was charged admission to ride on such a contraption and it could be argued that it existed partly as an "amusement device" as its purposes were, ostensibly, to educate the public about locomotion but also to make a profit through selling rides. Strong evidence of this is the fact that the circus charged admission to even view the thing at all, so money must have been a factor here, the product being sold would be to satisfy curiosity and entertain, much in the same way that a fair amusement area might . Also, the fact that he had an enclosed area that he was charging admission to view the train was many, many years ahead of its time. The first enclosed amusement park is credited to Paul Boyton at Coney Island, New York (Sea Lion Park), and that was in the 1890s.
Thank you; and yes- good point!
Fantastic as always Rob
Thank you Barry
Fascinating video. Thanks 👍
Thank you Matt!
The Steam Circus was, in effect, the first Circle Line! Many thanks, as always, for another fascinating account.
Thanks William!
rob well done a great vlog and first class as always
Many thanks Richard
as always rob sterling work @@Robslondon
Another interesting fact, is that on his way back to the UK at around 1826, Trevithick took with him two Costa Rican lads. One of them, Jesus María Montealegre, got a medical degree in medicine in the UK and back in CR he became president of the goverment at around 1858.
Wow! 😄
What a sad end😢remember learning about him at school in Social & Economic history his mining engine I think 🤔thank you for another great video. All best for 2024😊
Nice comment, thank you and the same to you 😊
Thanks, Rob.
Thank you Peter
Happy New Year to you Rob, Another Fantastic Video, Thank you
Bless you Dave, that's so kind of you my friend- very much appreciated, thank you. Best wishes to you and a Happy New Year also! Cheers and stay well :-)
A great story, wonderfully told. Well done, you. Subscribed. ❤
Thank you so much Lemma; good to have you here!
Thoroughly enjoyed that video, thanks.
It's of interest also that his return from South America after financial ruin, was paid for by Robert Stephenson.
For the record, the place of his birth is pronounced treg
-a-jor-an and a memorial stone marks the location of the house.
Many thanks- yes, I wanted to mention Robert Stephenson as he met him out there didn't he?
Would love to visit that memorial stone some day. Cheers and stay well.
Rob, this is one of ur best, do keep up the good werk! misha
Thank you so much Misha!
Another great production Rob. I really appreciate your focus on Richard Trevithick. Thanks for continuing to create.
Thank you Mike, it's a pleasure. Stay well my friend.
Wonderful work,so many great engineers in the 1800s this country started the industrial revolution, and carried on for over 150 years.
Thank you Kenneth
if only we could travel in time just to see those highlights of ingenuity and visioneers…
😉
Hello Rob
Very interesting video. Love the history. Your video helped us ID an item that a mudlarker found on the Thames. Thanks. Take care Chris and Sandra of Canada.
Ah! Thank you and good to hear 😄 Hope you’re both keeping well
Rob, happy new year all the best 2024.
What an excellent subject to steam into what I hope will be another year of Sunday evening videos to look forward to.
You keep raising the bar.
Great county Cornwall to tour and great steam shots throughout
Bless you Butch; cheers. I’d love to have gone to Cornwall to film but it was a bit too far on this occasion! Hope you’re keeping well
Interesting video, I have been to Euston many times and didn’t know about this circus
Go and have a look next time you're there Richard ;-)
Thanks again John in Chicago
Thank you John
very well written and presented
Many thanks Tracy, I really appreciate that. Stay well.
What a terrific video about Richard Trevithick
I really appreciate that Stephen, thank you.
I once lived on East Hill, Dartford so knew of the story about Richard Trevithick. The current memorial needs a clean or perhaps a more solid replacement for this Cornish born pioneer of rail travel.
Well said.
Wonderful. Well done.
Thank you!
I think he saw the real potential ahead of his time.
I know he made sense of his life by his comment a few weeks before dying.
That’s a good philosophy to live by.
Yes, well said.
Brilliant...🇬🇧
Much appreciated Steve, cheers
Camborne recognises Trevithick day each year in April with a parade of steam vehicles. One of our greats, who should be better known.
Thanks Andrew; yes I provided a link to Trevithick Day in the description, I hope to go myself someday. He certainly should be known a LOT better. Cheers and stay well.
6:25 The song 'Camborne Hill' about the journey up the hill is still sung at Cornish Rugby matches
That's wonderful :-) I wasn't aware of that; lovely to know. Thank you.
HIs name and achievements live on here in Cornwall with the annual re-enactment.......and as he said, contributing something worthwhile to society was more important to him than wealth. An example to us all!
Well said ☺️
This one is to show my support for the idea of the AI generated images, I think they work really well! Thanks Rob!
Thank you so much Adam! Yes, they were very useful for plugging some gaps in this video… short of having a Time Machine it’s the best thing! Hopefully they managed to bring Richard Trevithick’s to life somewhat…. Cheers again and stay well; much appreciated 😉
Great film as usual
Much appreciated Adrian, thank you
Thanks
That's really kind Angie, thank you! Much appreciated :-) Stay well.
Why didn't I get notified of this? Weird, everything is switched on. ah well, great vid again Rob.
That's really frustrating.... is the bell icon on for notifications?
@@Robslondon Yes, and you usually come up on my feed, but until last night. Weird one.
So frustrating. It's hard enough as it is getting noticed! Thanks for keeping an eye out Michael ;-)@@michaelj3282