HE COULDN'T READ A SINGLE WORD UNTIL HE WAS EIGHTEEN. BORN IN 1781 INTO GRINDING POVERTY IN WYLAM, NORTHUMBERLAND, GEORGE STEPHENSON WAS THE SON OF ILLITERATE PARENTS WHO EARNED PENNIES TENDING A COLLIERY PUMP. NO SCHOOL. NO BOOKS. NO FUTURE. JUST COAL DUST AND SURVIVAL.
BUT WHILE HIS NEIGHBOURS SLEPT, GEORGE STUDIED BY FIRELIGHT - TEACHING HIMSELF TO READ, THEN MATHEMATICS, THEN ENGINEERING. THE ESTABLISHMENT MOCKED HIS THICK GEORDIE ACCENT. PARLIAMENT LAUGHED.
CRITICS CALLED HIM UNQUALIFIED. HE PUSHED ON REGARDLESS.
IN 1825, HE DROVE THE WORLD'S FIRST STEAM PASSENGER RAILWAY. IN 1830, HE LAUNCHED THE LIVERPOOL TO MANCHESTER LINE - AND THE MODERN RAILWAY AGE WAS BORN.
TODAY, EVERY TRAIN ON EARTH RUNS ON THE GAUGE GEORGE STEPHENSON CHOSE. THE BOY WHO COULDN'T READ... LITERALLY MOVED THE WORLD.
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