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Product Description
Product Description
L.T.C. Rolt was an engineer and pioneer of industrial history; in this book he combined these two passions to give us a fascinating account of the men who 'made' Britain. From Brunel to Telford, he takes us on a journey from the first railway tracks being laid down to bridges spanning hitherto unimagined lengths, through to the 'invention' and mastery of gas and electricity, which we take for granted today. The Victorians were at the forefront of modern technology in their time, but often came to see it as a blight on their landscape and struggled to adapt to the fast pace of this new industrial era. In this book, Rolt not only examines the creations that made Britain's empire great, but also how the age of optimism turned to one of disillusionment with many of our inventors finding fame and fortune abroad. This unrivalled insight into our industrial heritage is compulsory reading for anyone wanting to appreciate the foundations on which our modern lives were built.
About the Author
LTC ROLT was born in Chester on 9th February 1910 and died in 1974. He was an engineer and craftsman, whose passion for Britain's industrial heritage led him to become one of the foremost historians of the 20th century. He was joint founder of the Inland Waterways Association. He also wrote Narrow Boat, Red for Danger and the famous Landscape Trilogy (The History Press).
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
29 of 29 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
In "Victorian Engineering" LTC Rolt provides a wonderfully readable history of the industrial revolution in Britain from the perspective of the magnificent engineering triumphs achieved. The book celebrates the well-know greats of engineering, but also many others we should know more about. Mr Rolt also comments on the decline of Britain's leadership of the field of engineering - putting this down to snobbery and a lack of vision. As the title suggests, the book focusses on the Victorian era and only gives limited coverage of earlier developments (with the exception of James Watt). Mr Rolt's prose is elegant, fresh and energetic and this is a great read. This book was published nearly 40 years ago and remains compelling reading for anyone interested in the subject.
3 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Well, this is a book that does very much what it says on the cover - a hymn of praise to a somewhat esoteric selection of British Victorian Engineers and their major works.
Casual readers should be aware that this is a reprint, originally published in 1962, and that the author actually died in 1974. Enthusiasts will be aware of the author's classic texts, such as "Red for Danger", which have been revised and updated. This book has not, and lacks the illustrations and print quality which are "de rigeur" in modern books.
Easy reading - no; but a valuable insight into both the Victorian era, and the attitudes and mores of the late 1950's, yes.
Casual readers should be aware that this is a reprint, originally published in 1962, and that the author actually died in 1974. Enthusiasts will be aware of the author's classic texts, such as "Red for Danger", which have been revised and updated. This book has not, and lacks the illustrations and print quality which are "de rigeur" in modern books.
Easy reading - no; but a valuable insight into both the Victorian era, and the attitudes and mores of the late 1950's, yes.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
1 review
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
great intro
15 Jun 2010
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
To my knowledge there is no other short single volume that covers the ground of this book. It ties togther the strands of railway engineering, steam power, ship development, metallurgy, civil works, manufacture, gas distribution, and electrification. Rolt wrote extensively on specific topics and persons in this era and this pulls many different strands into a coherent whole. Description is given of what was done, how things were done, who did things and what impact they had on the society as a whole including art and literature. There is a story arc which Rolt draws that you may or may not find persuasive but make the book more than an encyclopedia.
Clearly this book is of interest to engineers with historical sensibility but also could be read with benefit by anyone with a broad interest in the era. For example, if I were to write a novel set in the Victorian era, I would certainly want the level of understanding to be gained here. There are 76 photographic black and white photo illustrations which is shockingly generous for a paperback of less than 300 pages. On the other hand there is not a single sketch illustration of any kind. If you don't quite know what a bow string girder is you won't find it here. If you are uncertain about the details of British geography, you won't find any help on that either. In fact I would love to see a new edition of this text with those shortcomings recitified. Anyone hunting for an editor?
Clearly this book is of interest to engineers with historical sensibility but also could be read with benefit by anyone with a broad interest in the era. For example, if I were to write a novel set in the Victorian era, I would certainly want the level of understanding to be gained here. There are 76 photographic black and white photo illustrations which is shockingly generous for a paperback of less than 300 pages. On the other hand there is not a single sketch illustration of any kind. If you don't quite know what a bow string girder is you won't find it here. If you are uncertain about the details of British geography, you won't find any help on that either. In fact I would love to see a new edition of this text with those shortcomings recitified. Anyone hunting for an editor?
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