As the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, England’s Northwest shaped the modern world. Built on the success of canals, cotton, coal, steam, railways, silk, hatting and more, this region’s pioneers created today’s industrialised society. This rich and fascinating history can be explored through hundreds of museums and attractions.

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There is so much to see and explore in the English midlands that it is hard to believe that there was such a diverse range of industries in such a small area. Birmingham, now a major city, was once known as the ‘town of a thousand trades’. In the beautiful Severn Valley, iron-making revolutionised manufacturing, ...

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Wales played a leading role in the formative years of the Industrial Revolution in the production of iron and steel, tinplate and coal. During the 19th century families flooded into the sparsely populated valleys of South Wales seeking work in the emerging industries which exploited the areas mineral resources. In 1804, Richard Trevithick ran the World´s first steam engine on iron rails near Merthyr.

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The Industrious East, the East of England Regional Route, puts people at the centre of Industrial Heritage. It celebrates the regions industrious people, their successes and achievements. Whether engineers and innovators or the working people and their centuries of effort and toil, the Regional Route brings them all to life.

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