Engineering Heritage Awards facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Engineering Heritage Awards
Castle Bromwich Assembly Plant
Presented by	Institution of Mechanical Engineers
First awarded	26 June 1984
Last awarded	16 November 2018
Currently held by	Jaguar Land Rover

The Engineering Heritage Awards are special prizes given by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE). These awards celebrate amazing engineering achievements that have changed how we live and work. They recognize important machines, places, collections, and landmarks.

The awards started in 1984 to highlight the best of engineering. They show how engineers have made a big difference in the world.

How the Awards Began

The First Awards: Engineering Heritage Hallmark Scheme

In 1984, the IMechE started its first award program, called the Engineering Heritage Hallmark Scheme. To get an award, someone who was a member of IMechE had to suggest an object or place.

Then, two experts would check it out. Their reports would be reviewed, and a decision would be made. It was a careful process to make sure only truly important engineering marvels were recognized.

Becoming the Engineering Heritage Awards

In 2007, the Institution decided to make the awards even better. They created a new committee and renamed them the Engineering Heritage Awards. The process for applying became simpler and faster.

They also changed the rules a bit and got their own library team to help check all the details. Even the award plaque was given a new design!

The Award Plaques

Since 1984, the plaques given to award winners have changed four times. The very first plaque was a round blue ceramic disc. It was about 40 centimeters wide.

In the 1990s, this was replaced by a rectangular steel plate mounted on wood. When the new Engineering Heritage Awards started in 2008, a new metal plaque was designed. It was updated slightly in 2009 to show the Institution's new look.

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  The original blue plaque used until the early 1990s.

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  The last design for the old scheme, stopped in 2006.

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  An early design for the new EHA plaque.

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  The EHA plaque used from 2009 onwards.

Amazing Engineering Award Winners

Many incredible engineering feats have received these awards. Here are some examples of the cool inventions and places that have been honored:

• CA Parsons No. 5 Generator (1984): This was one of the first machines to use a steam turbine, invented by Charles A Parsons in 1884. It helped create electricity!
• Ffestiniog Railway (1985): This railway in Wales was a pioneer in 1863. It was one of the first to use narrow-gauge steam trains. Its new designs were exported all over the world.
• River Don Engine (1985): Located in Sheffield, this is one of the most powerful steam engines still existing. Built in 1905, it used to power a huge rolling mill for making armor plates.
• Cragside (1985): This house was owned by Lord Armstrong, an inventor. It was the first house in the world to be lit by electricity made from water power!
• Eling Tide Mill (1986): This mill uses the power of the tides to grind flour. It's the only working mill of its kind in the world!
• Boulton and Watt Engine (1986): Found at Crofton Pumping Station, this is the oldest steam engine still working for its original purpose. It was built to celebrate James Watt's 250th birthday.
• Tower Bridge (1987): This famous London bridge is a marvel of Victorian engineering. Its unique design uses steam and hydraulic power to open for ships.
• Post Office Underground Railway (1987): Opened in 1927, this was the world's first automatic electric railway. It was used to transport huge amounts of mail across London.
• Hawker Siddeley Harrier (1990): This aircraft was the world's first "jump jet." It could take off and land vertically, like a helicopter, but fly like a regular plane.
• Thames Barrier (1991): This massive flood barrier protects London from high tides. It's the largest movable flood barrier in the world and a beautiful structure.
• Turbinia (1995): This ship shows off the genius of Sir Charles Parsons. It was powered by the first practical steam turbine, which changed how fast ships could travel and led to modern power generation.
• Rolls-Royce RB211 Engine (1996): This aircraft engine was the first of its kind to go into production. It set new standards for how reliable and long-lasting airplane engines could be.
• Channel Tunnel and Eurostar (1997): The Channel Tunnel is an amazing engineering project that connects the UK and France. It lets trains travel under the sea in minutes!
• SS Great Britain (2000): Designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, this ship was a groundbreaking invention. It was the first iron-hulled, screw-propelled ship to cross an ocean.
• Jubilee Line Extension (2002): This part of London's underground train system was recognized for its many features that make it safe and easy for passengers to use.
• The Bessemer Converter (2004): This invention by Sir Henry Bessemer changed the steel industry forever. It made steelmaking much faster and cheaper.
• Float Glass Process (2004): Invented by Sir Alastair Pilkington, this process changed how windows and car glass are made around the world. It creates perfectly flat glass.
• The Vickers Wellington Bomber (2007): This World War Two bomber had a unique "geodetic" structure designed by Sir Barnes Wallis. It was very advanced for its time.
• The Bombe at Bletchley Park (2009): This machine was rebuilt from original plans. It was an electromechanical device used during World War II to crack the German Enigma code, helping to win the war.
• Class A1 Steam Locomotive (Tornado: 60163) (2009): Tornado was the first mainline steam locomotive built in the UK since 1960. It combined old and new engineering skills.
• Kempton Pumping Station (2010): These huge steam engines, built in 1928, provided clean water to London for 50 years. Engine No. 6 is the largest working steam engine in the world.
• HMS Belfast (2010): Launched in 1938, this is the only major Royal Navy warship from WWII that still exists. Its design and powerful engines made it a success in battle.
• Falkirk Wheel (2012): Opened in 2002, this is the world's only rotating boat lift. It connects two canals and is a beautiful mix of old engineering ideas and modern design.
• LNER Class A4 4468 Mallard (2013): Mallard is the world's fastest steam locomotive. It reached 126 miles per hour in 1938, thanks to its special design by Sir Nigel Gresley.
• Concorde (2014): This supersonic jet was the first passenger plane to fly faster than the speed of sound. It pioneered "fly-by-wire" technology in airliners.
• Rover Safety Bicycle (2014): Designed in 1888, this is considered the first modern bicycle. Its design is still used today and it helped change how people traveled.
• The Old Furnace at Coalbrookdale Ironworks (2014): This award celebrates the early pioneers of the Industrial Revolution, like Darby, who made huge advances in iron production here.
• Whittle W2/700 Engine (2015): Sir Frank Whittle's turbojet engine is the ancestor of almost every gas turbine engine used today. His vision changed air travel forever.
• Rigid-Hulled Inflatable Boat (RIB) (2017): Developed at UWC Atlantic College, the RIB design combines a strong hull with inflatable tubes. This makes it fast and stable, saving thousands of lives in sea rescues worldwide.
• Newcomen Engine (2017): Invented by Thomas Newcomen, this was the first practical steam engine. The example in Dartmouth is probably the oldest surviving one in the world.
• The Edinburgh Modular Arm System (EMAS) (2017): This was the world's first bionic arm that could move the shoulder, elbow, wrist, and fingers. It paved the way for modern prosthetic limbs that improve lives.
• de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito (2018): Designed and built in 1940, this lightweight wooden aircraft was incredibly fast and powerful, playing a key role in World War II.
• ThrustSSC Supersonic Car (2019): This amazing car, powered by two jet engines, was the first to break the sound barrier on land. It reached over 763 miles per hour!
• Supermarine Spitfire K9942 (2019): Built in 1939, this is the world's oldest surviving Spitfire. Designed by R J Mitchell, its strength, speed, and powerful engine made it a legendary fighter plane.

See also

• List of mechanical engineering awards
• Engineers Australia § Engineering Heritage Recognition Program