Jason Ford, news editor, The Engineer
A remarkable piece of writing, evoking the era and the struggle to get Hackworth's legacy acknowledged. Norman combines the skills of a virtuoso storyteller with an acute attention to historical detail. All railway enthusiasts should add it to their reading lists.
A remarkable piece of writing, evoking the era and the struggle to get Hackworth's legacy acknowledged. Norman combines the skills of a virtuoso storyteller with an acute attention to historical detail. All railway enthusiasts should add it to their reading lists.
Pete Waterman,OBE
There can be no argument as to Hackworth’s contribution to the story of railways. Happy with his place in the world, it would be for others to shout about his skills and this book does that.
There can be no argument as to Hackworth’s contribution to the story of railways. Happy with his place in the world, it would be for others to shout about his skills and this book does that.
Anthony Coulls, Senior Curator of Rail Transport & Technology, National Railway Museum
The narrative style, augmented by new research from papers and documents that exist in the USA, creates a real feeling of a personal story, seeking to establish Timothy Hackworth’s contribution to the development of the steam locomotive in an accessible way for the 21st Century.
The narrative style, augmented by new research from papers and documents that exist in the USA, creates a real feeling of a personal story, seeking to establish Timothy Hackworth’s contribution to the development of the steam locomotive in an accessible way for the 21st Century.
Pete Thomas, Director, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology
Locomotives, inventions, defeats and triumphs - all along with a cast of real characters including George Stephenson and Timothy Hackworth - are part of this intriguing, informative and impeccably researched historical narrative. Even without the locomotives it is a fascinating human story.
Locomotives, inventions, defeats and triumphs - all along with a cast of real characters including George Stephenson and Timothy Hackworth - are part of this intriguing, informative and impeccably researched historical narrative. Even without the locomotives it is a fascinating human story.
Amazon review
This book lifts the lid off a story which has been suppressed for 200 years. A must read for train buffs, historians and anyone who likes to know the truth.
This book lifts the lid off a story which has been suppressed for 200 years. A must read for train buffs, historians and anyone who likes to know the truth.
Largely - and unjustly - sidelined by history, Timothy Hackworth was arguably the most important of the soot-soiled early railway pioneers who eventually set the whole world in motion. Mike Norman eloquently puts the case for the humble and hard-working Shildon Methodist who was effectively cheated of his legacy by the Machiavellian showmanship of entrepreneur George Stephenson.