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THE TREVITHICK SOCIETY

FOR THE STUDY OF INDUSTRIAL HISTORY IN CORNWALL

Established 1935

List of Trevithick's patents

Richard Trevithick was a genius in the field of mechanical engineering whose inventions proved to be of immense importance in helping to shape the development of the industrialised world during the 19th century. The following is a list of his work and patents:

  • 1801: The Camborne Road Locomotive - the first car

  • 1802: The Coalbrookdale Locomotive - the first portable engine to run on rails

  • 1803: The London Road Carriage - the first coach

  • 1804: The Penydarren Locomotive - the first train

  • 1805: Drove a barge by steam

  • 1808: The Catch-me-who-can railway locomotive, the first fare paying passenger train

  • 1812: Trewithen threshing machine - using his engine for agriculture

  • 1818: The first steamboat was fitted with Trevithick puffer engine

His genius was not restricted to steam engine development.  He also invented:

  • The Cornish boiler

  • Containerisation of shipping

  • A ships propeller

  • Refrigeration

  • Domestic heating boilers - portable room heater

  • A rock boring machine

  • Water-jet propulsion

He also demonstrated that a ship could be made of iron.