Oldest working steam engine restored

A £45,000 project to restore the world’s oldest working steam engine has been completed ahead of schedule.

The Smethwick Engine is on show at Thinktank, Birmingham’s Science Museum. The engine was designed by inventor James Watt and was originally installed on the Birmingham-Wolverhampton canal in 1779.

Lauren Deere from the Museum said: “This restoration project has brought James Watt’s revolutionary engineering back to life ahead of the bicentenary commemorations in 2019. We look forward to welcoming visitors to see the engine … and sharing more about this fascinating man and the impact this engine had on the city.”