Richard Trevithick

On Christmas Eve 1801 a Cornish engineer took some friends for a ride on his latest invention - a hugely significant historical event, as the vehicle on which they rode was the world's first steam locomotive. Yet when Richard Trevithick died 32 years later, it was in poverty and relative obscurity. This is all the more remarkable in that the 'Cornish engine' of 1801 and its several successors, including the celebrated Penydarren engine of 1804, was but one of the products of his genius for engineering.

By pioneering the use of high pressure 'strong steam' and constantly devising new applications for his engines he transformed Newcomen and Watt into a versatile source of power that would take the world into the new age. His energy proved his downfall, as his constant search for ever more impressive ventures saw him spiral into bankruptcy and his family nearly destitute. He finally returned to England in 1827, after years wandering South America in search of further ventures, still sure success would be coming soon, but died penniless after a short illness in 1833.