From the British submarine to the Mini and Frank Whittle's Gloster E28/39, Sir James Dyson pays homage to his top ten design classics
1. NEW BRITISH SUBMARINE
BAE SYSTEMS
I've been watching the progress of the new fleet of British submarines at Barrow-in-Furness since 1997, when BAE announced they would be making them. They're particularly noteworthy for the development of sonar technology, a milestone in British engineering: a submarine such as HMS Astute (launched in 2007) sitting in the English Channel is able to detect ships leaving New York harbour 3,000 nautical miles away. Behind her enormous exterior is a mass of top secret, world-class engineering. I understand that tens of thousands of rubber-like tiles mask the vessel's sonar signature. Imagine: a 7,400 ton submarine making less 'noise' than a baby dolphin.
Behind the new British submarine's enormous exterior is a mass of top secret, world-class engineering
2. COLOSSUS, THE FIRST COMPUTER
TOMMY FLOWERS
World War II proved Britain's engineering prowess. A marvellous example of necessity breeding invention is found in Colossus: the first programmable, digital computer of the modern age. Colossus was used to break encrypted messages generated by the German Lorenz teleprinter.
Designed by British engineer Tommy Flowers, along with colleagues from the Post O ffice Research Station in London, the machine was used from 1944 at Bletchley Park, home to the famous Enigma code-breakers. It worked by imitating the encryption it was designed to break, determining patterns in the German code.
3. MINI
BMC
First made in 1959, the Mini is a remarkable piece of engineering
Designed for the British Motor Corporation (BMC) by Sir Alec Issigonis, the Mini followed the Suez fuel shortage in 1956 and the quest to outdo the German bubble car boom. Leonard Lord, head of BMC, decreed: 'We must drive them o ff the road by designing a proper miniature car.'
First made in 1959, it's a remarkable piece of engineering. Mounting the engine transversely and nestling the gearbox in the sump fitted the car into a 10x4x4ft cubic space. The suspension used compact rubber cones, not traditional springs, for a more comfortable ride and go-kart-like handling. The door pockets are said to fit a bottle of Gordon's Gin, Issigonis's favoured tipple.
4. CT BRAIN SCANNER
The CT brain scanner was the first machine to give a detailed picture of patients' brains
EMI
The computerised tomography (CT) machine was developed in 1971 by EMI, which ploughed money into research and development following the success of the Beatles, or so the story goes.
It was invented by Godfrey Hounsfield, who won the Nobel prize in 1979. The scanner was the first machine to give a detailed picture of patients' brains, working through 180 angles (each separated by just one degree). EMI's scanner, first installed at Atkinson Morley Hospital, Wimbledon in 1972, was the most significant advance in radiology since the X-ray.
5. ANGLEPOISE LAMP
G CARDWARDINE
The Anglepoise lamp was designed in 1932 by George Cardwardine, who found a new application for a spring he'd developed while working on suspension systems as an automotive engineer. When applied to a lamp, these springs mirrored a human arm, moving easily in every direction, yet remaining rigid when set in the correct position. More than 70 years later it remains a fixture on o ffice desks.
British industrial designer Kenneth Grange has designed a number of modifications to the Anglepoise lamp, staying true to the classic design in expanding the function. I use his Type 75 design, with a circular base and an added swivel ball to adjust the shade angle.
The first jet-propelled aircraft, the Gloster E28/39, took off from RAF Cranwell, using Frank Whittle's engine, it flew fast and low, even outperforming the Spitfires that fought the Battle of Britain months earlier
6 GLOSTER E28/39
FRANK WHITTLE
Frank Whittle's idea for a jet engine was first overlooked, then underestimated, until his engineering genius and sheer perseverance won through. In 1928, aged 21, Whittle wrote his thesis Future Developments In Aircraft Design. He believed 'the turbine had the potential to be the prime mover for jet propulsion'.
Just 13 years later, the first jet-propelled aircraft, the Gloster E28/39, took off from RAF Cranwell. Using Whittle's engine, it flew fast and low, even outperforming the Spitfires that fought the Battle of Britain months earlier. Whittle's idea did away with the complex system of propellers and myriad moving parts. At its core was one moving part: a spinning turbine and compressor. His brilliance changed the world.
In 1953, Joseph Bamford devised the Backhoe Loader - effectively a tractor with a loader attached to the front and an arm and bucket mounted on the back. This was refined further in 1957 with the JCB Mk 1
7.JCB DIGGER
JOSEPH BAMFORD
As the first European manufacturer to apply hydraulic power to loaders and excavators, the machines and design ingenuity of JCB revolutionised construction and agriculture in Britain and all around the world. It's now difficult to find a farm or motorway excavation site without one.
In 1953, Joseph Bamford devised the Backhoe Loader - effectively a tractor with a loader attached to the front and an arm and bucket mounted on the back. This was refined further in 1957 with the JCB Mk 1, the forerunner of the single all-purpose vehicle we know today. He even had electric kettles fitted to all his diggers, so operators wouldn't have to leave the cab for lengthy tea breaks.
8 MOULTON BICYCLE
ALEX MOULTON
The original 1962 Moulton was faster, smaller and more comfortable than conventional models
Having built suspension systems for cars (including the Mini), Alex Moulton has since spent half a century years developing the perfect small-wheeled bike. The original 1962 Moulton was faster, smaller and more comfortable than conventional models, thanks to the half-sized wheels and high-pressure tyres. The aerodynamic drag is lower and riders pedal faster with less eff ort. The frame is a lattice of small tubes, and the canny design is far more robust than conventional diamond frames. My model, made of the same stainless steel tubing as a fighter jet, weighs just 20lb.
9 HOVERCRAFT
CHRISTOPHER COCKERELL
The main obstacle to speedy travel - on land or water - is drag. Others had toyed with the concept for many decades before, but Sir Christopher Cockerell designed the first air-cushion vehicle, or 'hovercraft', in the Fifties. His SRN1 created a sensation when it was launched in 1959. Gas turbine engines powered the lift fans, which sucked in air and forced it down into a space beneath the vessel. The air cushion was contained within a flexible rubberised skirt.
Driven forward by aircraft propellers, the hovercraft was highly manoeuvrable and could reach speeds of 62mph. It is the versatility of the hovercraft that appeals to me most - it can travel across most flat surfaces, making almost anywhere accessible.
10 SCIENCE MUSEUM BRIDGE
WILKINSON EYRE
The glass bridge at the Science Museum is a challenge to conventional notions of design and engineering. Created by architectural engineers Wilkinson Eyre, it shows the limits to which materials can be manipulated. Its glass planks are suspended by a series fine steel wires. Channelling the wires through stress gauges and incorporating sound and fibre-optics makes it interactive - you notice the impact of your steps on the materials. The bridge is an experiment in putting the users at the centre of the design. Some people have commented afterwards that crossing it is like walking on water.
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