This site will take you back in time to the 1930's. In that time, much of what is described here was regarded as cutting edge hi-tech .....
All of the items on these pages date from 1935/8, or before. Please note that place names on this site are as they were in the 1930's so all pages should be viewed in that context.
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MOTORING: THE WORK OF BENZ AND DAIMLER Transport has been completely revolutionized during the past fifty years by the invention and development of the petrol-driven car. The early work of a small group of pioneers laid the foundations of one of the largest industries in the world.
QUARRYING FOR SLATE In the mountains of Wales are the largest workings of slate in Great Britain. Methods of quarrying and of transport vary considerably, according to the nature of the beds.
MILITARY ENGINEERINGThe duties of the Corps of Royal Engineers are not confined to bridge building, roadmaking, railway construction and the demolition of existing buildings. Other activities of the Corps include surveying, mapping, camouflage, anti-aircraft organization and the postal services of an army in the field.
MOTORING : DEVELOPMENT IN THE 'NINETIES Motoring had been demonstrated as a practical possibility as early as 1890, but not until 1900 was the motor car a serious challenger in the world of mechanical transport. The period of experiment then gave place to the period of improvement.
HARBOUR WORKS IN FRANCE Large-scale harbour engineering has recently been carried out by engineers of the Port of Bordeaux. Ingenious methods have been adopted in building a jetty for transatlantic liners and an unusual type of suction dredger has been built.
MARSH BUGGY, THE One of the most ingenious vehicles developed for engineering purposes is the marsh buggy, which is used in the swamp lands of Louisiana, U.S.A. It travels over roads as a motor car, through swamps as a tractor, and in the water as a boat.
BOILERS IN THE MAKING Despite the numerous types and sizes of boilers used in modern engineering, most boilers are made by closely related methods. Drums, end plates and tubes are produced with remarkable care, for much depends on the soundness of the boilermaker's work.
HARNESSING THE MISSISSIPPI There are no great falls of water in the Mississippi, but engineers have been able to use its immense flow to drive thirty huge turbines with an aggregate output of 300,000 horse-power, at Keokuk, Iowa.
MOVABLE BRIDGES Many types of rolling, bascule, swing and vertical-lift bridges are in use to-day. Their principles have evolved from early types of movable bridges such as the medieval drawbridge.
AMUSEMENTS AND THE ENGINEERThere is sometimes as much engineering skill in the designing and building of the "rides" in an amusement park as there is in a new bridge. The safety of thousands of holiday-makers depends on the careful and accurate planning of the engineer.
