A new era started in human life after the invention of the steam engine by James Watt in 1769, This was the beginning of the Machine Age. The coal mines in England used to be flooded with rainwater. They needed a pump to take out the water. The steam engine was adapted to do this work and also for many other purposes.
The development of the steam engine provided the base for the railway engine developed by George Stephenson. It was also used to power ships on the high seas. The steam engine was increasingly used to run machines in the small and big factories. After many years, scientists and engineers started using petrol and diesel to run the engines. This led to the development of motor cars, buses, trucks and powerful engines for railways, ships and airplanes.