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Richard Trevithick: Google Doodle celebrates 240 years since his birth

The birth of Richard Trevithick, the inventor of the high pressure steam engine, has been celebrated by the search engine Google.

Marking 240 years since his birth, Google has transformed their usual logo into a steam train, complete with steam puffing out of the letter “L”.

The internet search engine is known for its celebration of special days and occasions, but this marks a more unusual subject than most.

Mr Trevithick not only invented the first high pressure steam engine but also but the first operational steam locomotive.

Born in Cornwall, the son of a miner, he built a steam road locomotive in 1801, which he called the “Puffing Devil”.

The following year he built his steam locomotive, designed to transport iron from the Pen-y-Darren ironworks in Merthyr Tydfil, south Wales....
Read entire article at Telegraph (UK)