The Reading Warehouse

George Stephenson (9 June 1781 - 12 August 1848) was a British civil engineer and mechanical engineer. Renowned as the "Father of Railways", Stephenson was considered by the Victorians a great example of diligent application and thirst for improvement. Self-help advocate Samuel Smiles particularly praised his achievements. His chosen rail gauge, sometimes called 'Stephenson gauge', was the basis for the 4 feet 8 1⁄2 inches (1.435 m) standard gauge used by most of the world's railways.

Through his talent and passion for engineering, Stephenson was able to transform the landscape around him, ushering in an era when travel across the country could be achieved in hours instead of days or even weeks. He is the epitome of the self-made man, rising from the lowest of origins to dominate the society in which he lived. In this book, you will read about.

• A Childhood in Coal
• From Illiterate to Engineer
• The Self-Made Man
• The Safety Lamp Controversy
• The Liverpool-Manchester Failure