The Podcast of the Lotus Eaters PREVIEW: Epochs #241 | The History of the Steam Engine - Part II
Dec 14, 2025
Join steam engineering aficionado Alex Masters, known as 'That Steam Guy', as he dives deep into Britain's steam engine history. Discover the transformative impact of Cornwall’s mining needs on steam technology. Learn about Richard Trevithick's innovative high-pressure steam experiments and how they revolutionized engine size. From patent battles to the intricacies of boiler design, Alex uncovers the fascinating interplay between coal quality and engine performance. This conversation is a riveting journey through the heart of steam-powered progress!
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High-Pressure Steam Shrinks Engines
- High-pressure steam made engines far smaller and more powerful than atmospheric engines.
- Richard Trevithick pioneered 'strong steam' (2–3 atmospheres) to shrink engines enough to be self-contained.
Boiler Shape Solved Early Safety Limits
- Moving to round boiler shapes made high-pressure boilers safer and lighter.
- Trevithick's Cornish boiler used a water-filled cylinder with a fire tube to avoid flat plates that ballooned under pressure.
Materials Limits Shaped Early Boilers
- Early boilers still exploded because metallurgy and quality control were primitive.
- Builders relied on foundries' reputations and simple counterweight safety valves to limit pressure.