Steam Engine: Thomas Savery, an English military engineer patented the first crude steam engine in 1698.

In 1712 Thomas Newcomen, an English blacksmith, invented the atmospheric steam engine, which was an improvement over Thomas Saverys previous design. James Watt was a Scottish inventor and mechanical engineer, born in Greenock, who in 1769 made major improvements on the steam engine. This made it a truly worthwhile piece of machinery that helped start the Industrial Revolution. James Watt made many improvements. He employed an air pump, which relieved the condenser of the water and air which collected in the condenser, and lessened the vacuum. He covered the top of the cylinder so the air didnt follow the piston down the cylinder, cooling its interior and wasting energy. The steam engine was a valuable piece of machinery as it was able to use the energy of steam to move other machinery. It was also a fairly clean source of energy. Steam engines were used to run locomotives, steamships and factories. James Watt retired in 1800, and died on August 25, 1819. Abraham Darby: Englishman, Abraham Darby invented coke smelting and production methods for brass & iron goods. Coke smelting replaced charcoal with coal in metal foundries during the process of refining metals; and this was important to Britain's future since charcoal at that time was becoming scarce and was more expensive. Abraham Darby scientifically studied brass production and was able to advance the industry that turned Great Britain into an important brass goods exporter. Darby founded the world's first metallurgy laboratory at his factory, where he refined brass making. He developed the process of sand molding that allowed iron and brass goods to be mass produced at a lower cost per unit. Before Abraham Darby, brass and iron goods had to be individually cast. His process made the production of cast iron and brass goods a continuous process. Darby received a patent for his sand casting in 1708. Darby combined the existing technologies of casting iron with casting brass that produced goods of a greater complexity, thinness, smoothness, and detail. This was very important later on in the industrial revolution as Darbys casting methods were used to make iron and brass steam engines. Abraham Darby died in 1717, after being ill for 18 months. He was only thirty-nine. He was buried in the Quaker burial-ground at Broseley, Shropshire. Decedents of Abraham Darby also made contributions to the iron industry. Darby's son Abraham Darby II improved the quality of coke smelted pig iron for forging into wrought iron and Darby's grandson Abraham Darby III constructed the world's first iron bridge, over the Severn River at Coalbrookdale, Shropshire in 1779.