Spinning the Web - The Story of the Cotton Industry - logo
Advanced search
One-click Search
Manchester City Council - logo
Home Overview People Places Industry Clothing & Products Interactives * Contact Us Help
You are in: Industry > The Factory > Power sources Print Page     Email Page  
* * *
< Back to The Factory
*
Power sources
Power sources
*
Inventions & Inventors
 Inventions & inventors
*
Factory design & layout
Factory design & layout
*
*
Power sources
*
Image Number: 2000041
James Watt's steam engine (patented 1785) led to mills and factories which could operate power machinery even where there was no available water supply. Towns without abundant water supply (such as Wigan) could now also power mills and factories. The transition to steam from water power was advantageous to towns such as Manchester with easy access to cheap fuel in the form of coal, which was readily transported by canal ready to be used in mills and factories.


NR

View the Power sources collection to find out more >
*
Associated Images
*
Related Narratives
*

*
*
Image: Bobbins of cotton on a winding machine Image: The Mill Steam Engine at Queen Street Mill, Burnley
Image: a Cylinder Devil machine Image: a Cotton Gin machine
Image: Condenser mule used in the spinning process Image: Plans of machinery used in cotton spinning; the Mule Jenny
New Opportunities Fund - Lottery Funded - logo
*
*
© Manchester City Council | Terms & conditions