Google are today celebrating the 240th birthday of Richard Trevithick.
Born in 1771, Richard was a Cornish inventor and mining engineer.
His most significant success was the high pressure steam engine and he also built the first full scale working railway steam locomotive.
On 21 February 1804 the world’s first locomotive hauled railway journey took place as Trevithick’s unnamed steam locomotive hauled a train along the tramway of the Penydarren Ironworks, near Merthyr Tydfil in Wales.
He died on 22 April 1833.
