the purpose. He built a new commercial harbour at Gutuevsky Island in St Petersburg and a railway to link his factories to the docks. Connected to this, he began a major project for the 30-km Morskoy ship

Dudley, in 1712. He had regularly purchased iron from forges in the nearby Stour Valley, and had other links with the West Midlands through his Baptist faith. There is a working replica of the engine in the

museum at the latter. William Wilkinson met his brother at Namur in 1782. John Wilkinson had many links with the continental Europe, and supplied steam engine cylinders and cast-iron pipes for the Paris

career began in 1790 when he was appointed surveyor to the proposed Kennet and Avon Canal, which was to link London with Bristol by a new waterway some 90 km long. Numerous canal projects followed, including

Montagne (Altenberg) near Aachen. During the first decade of the eighteenth century he developed links with Shropshire. He established a copper smelter and a brass works in Coalbrookdale and in 1708 leased

In 1833 he became involved in the project for what came to be called the Great Western Railway, linking Bristol with London, and from an office in London assisted the passage of the legislation authorising

by rail. He was born in Liège to a wealthy family who had interests in railways and banking, and links to the Belgian royal house. As a young man he travelled in the United States and was impressed with