Birmingham is a land locked city with no direct access to the seas. It was able to grow to early prominence as a manufacturing center by becoming the hub of streets, roads, and canals of the UK. Many of the beginnings of the industrial revolution took place here as Thomas Watt, inventor of the steam engine made it possible with his invention of the the steam engine. As the machine age grew so did the need for access to a Birmingham accommodation network. Over the years the focus has shifted gradually from a manufacturing venue to a service related industry.