Robert Stephenson 1803-1859 born Willington Quay Wylam-on-Tyne was in the coalfielads of the Northeast. The mines were at that time the major employer in the area and George's father was an engine man working in the winding house of Wylam colliery. When he was 14 George became an assistant engine man. This was a time of frenetic development of steam driven machinery and when George Stephenson moved to the Killingworth colliery he developed the Blucher locomotive that hauled coal wagons along the colliery tramway. He continued developing bigger and better steam engines for several years. At that time most steam engines were static ones that wound long cables on and off large drums to raise and lower the wagons.

George and his only son Robert eventually left the mining industry to concentrate on building steam locomotives - establishing their new engineering company in Newcastle. By 1829 they had perfected 'Stephensons Rocket' - which soon achieved fame when it was recorded to have achieved an amazing world record speed of 36 miles per hour.

Robert moved on to concentrate on building bridges - and is particularly famed for the Menai Straits bridge and the Tyne bridge in Newcastle. His list incudes a bridge over the St. Lawrence river in Canada.

Both father and son played a significant role in developing railways in the early 19th century and both showed skill and ambition in a wide variety engineering projects.
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