Category Archives: Science and Engineering

Posts predominantly related to Science and Engineering

The Mechanical Turk Chess-Player that shocked the world!

Posted on March 31, 2021 by Stephen Liddell

When we think of robots and artificial intelligence, it’s easy to think that it is a modern 21st century obsession or at least of 20th century science fiction such as Star Trek. This is not entirely the case. One of … Continue reading →

Posted in history, Science and Engineering | Tagged Automaton, Chess, Clockwork, Silver Swan, The Mechanical Turk, The Mechanical Turk Chess player | 1 Comment

From bad boys to the hello girls – the origins of the Telephone Operator

Posted on March 22, 2021 by Stephen Liddell

As was often the case with Victorian era workplaces, many of the worst and most menial jobs were filled by boys and this was the case with the early Telegraph networks. As revolutionary as it seems to go from … Continue reading →

Posted in history, Science and Engineering | Tagged Hello Girls, Switchboard Operators, Telegraph, Telephone Switchboards, Telephones, Women, Work | 1 Comment

An old plan of Piccadilly Circus Underground Station.

Posted on October 7, 2019 by Stephen Liddell

I’m away on a 2-week tour in the near future and so this shorter than usual post is just to help fill the gap before, during or after I come back. The incredible print below is of Piccadilly Circus Underground … Continue reading →

Posted in London, Science and Engineering, Travel | Tagged Drawings, London, London Transport, London Underground, Maps, Piccadilly Circus, Plans | 2 Comments

Walking Londons Canals…. the Paddington Basin

Posted on March 20, 2019 by Stephen Liddell

Having created a new London Canals Walking Tour with Ye Olde England Tours I thought it was a good excuse to make good use of some of the many photos I took whilst working out my new tour. As mentioned in … Continue reading →

Posted in Cool Britannia, Heritage, Life, London, Science and Engineering, Travel, Ye Olde England Tours | Tagged Canals, London, Paddington, Paddington Basin, Travel, walking tours | 5 Comments

The Robocops of Kinshasa

Posted on February 27, 2019 by Stephen Liddell

Central Africa might not be your first guess when it comes to thinking of robocops but for the last 5 years or so in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo has been using them in increasing numbers in … Continue reading →

Posted in Life, News, Science and Engineering | Tagged Africa, Cars, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kinshasa, Life, Police, Robocop, Robots | Leave a comment

The famous farting lamp of London

Posted on November 19, 2018 by Stephen Liddell

Last week I wrote on The Great Stink of 1868. By chance todays post is on a related subject. Many people will be aware that in the Victorian age, much of London was lit with gas lamps and in deed … Continue reading →

Posted in history, Life, London, Science and Engineering | Tagged Carting Lane, Joseph Webb, London, Sewage lamp, Sewers, The Savoy, Webb Patent Sewer Gas Lamp | 15 Comments

The Tale of the Cursed Amethyst at the Natural History Museum in London

Posted on September 10, 2018 by Stephen Liddell

Whilst preparing for a tour tomorrow to the Natural History Museum in London, I thought I should do a reconnaisance sortie as well as a bit of research. The museum is a work of art and shows what value Victorians … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, history, Life, London, Science and Engineering | Tagged Edward Heron-Allen, Hope The Blue Whale, London, Natural History Museum, The Cursed Amethyst | 5 Comments

Petrichor – The sweet smell of falling rain.

Posted on August 15, 2018 by Stephen Liddell

It’s a sensation most of us familiar with though if you’re living in much of the Northern Hemisphere then like me, it might not be one you’ve been familiar with recently. The sweet smell of rain or Petrichor. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Life, Science and Engineering | Tagged Biology, Heatwave, Life, Petrichor, Rain, Smell | 4 Comments

All about driverless cars!

Posted on June 21, 2018 by Stephen Liddell

Today (or yesterday when you read this), I was taking a walk outside Parliament and I had the opportunity to jump in a driverless car! More about that later but it made me think of how in just a few years, … Continue reading →

Posted in history, Life, London, News, Popular Culture, Science and Engineering, Travel | Tagged Automated Cars, Cars, Driverless Cars, Pods | 4 Comments

2,000 years on Bath Abbey is set to use the famous hot water that the Romans did!

Posted on May 24, 2018 by Stephen Liddell

Long before the Romans, it was the ancient Celts who lived across the British Isles who first noticed the hot waters spewing forth from deep beneath the the surface of the Earth, In fact, they used to pray there. When … Continue reading →