With the production of better iron came the production of better machinery, and new industries.
The rail-road was probably one of the most significant inventions that helped to promote the Industrial Revolution. In 1804, Richard Trevithick invented the first steam powered locomotive. During the next twenty years, Britain had almost 6000 miles of railway and this meant faster and cheaper transportation, that decreased the price of goods, and improving markets. The more goods that were shipped and sold increased the number of factories built to accommodate the need for more products. This in turn created a need for more machinery to be built, more workers to man these factories and machines, and this created the self-containing effect of the Industrial Revolution.
Although the Industrial Revolution had many advantages, there were several disadvantages of it as well. For example the members of the Bourgeoisie wanted their machines and factories to run as much as possible, and this created a new labor system. Most of the workers were used to the agriculture industry, where there was a time of hard labor (during harvests) and a time of relaxation. The bourgeoisie had to force their workers to work hard all of the time and this meant that they had to enforce very strict working environments. Workers were expected to work very long hours six days a week to make sure the machines kept running. They had to endure many rules and regulations. For example if they were 2 minutes late, they were docked a half hour's wages and they were not allowed to talk, smoke, or leave their stations during the work day. Since women and children were cheaper to hire, they ran many of these sweatshops. Some of the children as young as six were beaten, or dipped into tanks of cold water to keep them awake. Because of all of this, the factories, machines, and family labor, Britain becomes the richest industrial nation by the mid 19th century.