John Birkinshaw facts for kids
John Birkinshaw (1777–1842) was a clever railway engineer from Bedlington, Northumberland, a county in England. He is famous for inventing a new type of rail for trains in 1820. These rails were made from a strong material called wrought iron. He received a special patent for his invention on October 23, 1820.
Before John Birkinshaw's invention, train tracks were not very good. Some were made of wood, which was too weak for heavy steam engines. Other tracks used cast iron rails. These cast iron rails were usually only about 3 feet long. They broke easily and only allowed trains to go very slowly.
Even though steam locomotives had been tested as early as 1804 by Richard Trevithick, these early trains didn't work well. The tracks broke too often, making them too expensive to use.
John Birkinshaw's invention was a huge step forward for railways. His patent in 1820 allowed for wrought-iron rails to be made in much longer pieces, about 15 feet long. Wrought iron was strong enough to hold up a moving train and its engine. Unlike the old cast iron, it did not break easily.
A very important railway builder named George Stephenson quickly saw how good Birkinshaw's rails were. In 1821, Stephenson decided to use these new rails for his planned Stockton and Darlington Railway. This was a big deal because Stephenson already had rights to the best cast iron rails. The Stockton and Darlington Railway, using Birkinshaw's strong rails, truly started the age of railways.
Contents
John Birkinshaw's Work and Impact
John Birkinshaw's invention changed how railways were built. His work made trains a real way to travel and move goods.
Developing Stronger Rails
- In 1821, John Birkinshaw worked as an engineer at the Bedlington Ironworks.
- While there, he created a new way to make wrought iron rails.
- These new rails could be rolled into long pieces, about fifteen feet in length.
- This made tracks much stronger and more reliable for trains.
His Son Follows in His Footsteps
John Birkinshaw's son, John Cass Birkinshaw (1811–1867), also became a railway engineer.
- He worked for Robert Stephenson (George Stephenson's son) as an assistant engineer.
- He helped build the London & Birmingham Railway (L&BR).
- Later, he became the main engineer for the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway.
- He was also the chief engineer for the Malton & Driffield Railway (MDR).
Birkinshaw's Family Life
John Birkinshaw married Ann Cas on October 10, 1809, in Newcastle upon Tyne. They had eight children together:
- John Cass Birkinshaw (1811-1867)
- Henry Birkinshaw (born 1817)
- George Peter Birkenshaw (born 1820)
- William Birkinshaw (born 1822)
- Emma A. (born 1824)
- Edward Birkinshaw (born 1826)
- Richard (born 1829)
- Mary (born 1834)
Images for kids
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A drawing from John Birkinshaw's patent for his new wrought iron rails.
See also
- Permanent way (history)
- Rail transport
