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Kevin Jones' Steam Index

Doncaster men

Angell, Frank Anstice
Born in Ipswich on 14 June 1903. Educated at Ipswich School and Doncaster Technical College. Gresley pupil at Doncaster 1920-3. Materials inspector at Doncaster 1925-37. From 1937 Assistant Works Manager, York. Served in Army during WW2. After a further brief period at York he returned to Doncaster. He died on 13 September 1948 following prolonged illness. Obituary: J. Instn Loco Engrs, 1948, 38, 862..

Broughton, Harry
Son of Arksey farmer. Probably began work in Stirling era: listed as fitter in 1891 census (Mike Fell via Phil Atkins). Succeeded Elwess as Chief Draughtsman in April 1928 and eventually handed on to Teddy Windle. Signed drawings for K3 2-6-0 and probably A1 (see Atkins. Backtrack, 2013, 27, 722). In photograph of Sir Nigel Gresley naming ceremony. Locomotive Mag., 1937, 43, 400.

Coffin, J.
According to Brown (page 40) recruited from GWR at Swindon and appointed as Inspector of Rolling Stock at Boston on salary of £180 per annum Carriage Superintendent (Doncaster): paid £73 10s in March 1856 for that Quarter. Died from jaundice in London on 27 April 1858.

Coggon, A.P.
Doncaster premium apprentice: photograph with others including P.N. Townend and R.H.N. Hardy and others beside No. 4468 Mallard in 1943. Peter Tuffrey A4 Pacific locomotives. Author of Stephenson Locomotive Society Journal article on P2 class

Day, Frank
In charge of rolling stock (carriage & wagon) drawing office at Doncaster. Michael Harris: 'I worked with Gresley and Bulleid'. Steam Days,  1996, (81) 304. which mentions Day.

Eggleshaw, Frank Herbert
Born on 5 November 1878; died 15 June 1949. Educated at the Abbey School in Selby and Central High School, Leeds. Premium apprentice at Doncaster and then whole of career spent on GNR/LNER. He began as a draughtsman, then worked in outdoor machinery office. Locomotive Works Manager from 1923 to 1945 when he retired. Very active in I. Loco. E. and on Advisory Board of Doncaster Technical College.  Beavor had to report to Eggleshaw on starting his apprenticeship. At that time Eggleshaw was Works Manager at Doncaster, but the interview was helped in that Eggleshaw had four sons at Doncaster Grammar School which Beavor had just left. Beavor notes that Eggleshaw was "gruff, but understanding" and a "down-to-earth practical man". Harvey noted a "tall thoughtful-looking man with a slight cough". Obviously, Eric Bannister (page 14) encountered him. In photograph of Sir Nigel Gresley naming ceremony. Locomotive Mag., 1937, 43, 400. .

Elwess, William
Born circa 1867 on a farm at Wheatley very close to Doncaster Works. Probably began work in Stirling era: listed as fitter in 1891 census (Mike Fell via Phil Atkins). Died 1946. Chief draughtsman in 1927 handed on to Broughton in April 1928 — probably too young to have retired. see J. Instn Loco. Engrs., 1927, 17, 476. Some additional information in Phil Atkin's "workshop manual".

Featherstone, W.
Assistant Locomotive Works Manager, Doncaster appointed Head of the C.M.E.'s Section, Purchasing Agent's Office at King's Cross. See Locomotive Mag., 1946, 52, 189

Hennessey, G.B. (Mike)
Assistant District Locomotive Superintendent at King's Cross. Superintendent at Hornsey in 1911 (Locomotive Mag., 1911, 17, 72). Tall dark Irishman who had trained at the Thames Iron Works. Lived in a company house within the King's Cross complex. District Locomotive Superintendent, Ipswich held by G.B Hennessy formerly District Locomotive Superintendent, Norwich (since 1928); Locomotive Mag. 1932, 38, 188, Retired in 1930s. Harvey pp. 48-9.

Hyland, Jack
According to R.H.N. Hardy (Steam Wld, 2008 (247) 42) was water treatment "king" at Doncaster

Jones, J.S.
Assistant Works Manager where. Eric Bannister (page 14) encountered him. Works Manager, Gorton (acting Assistant Mechanical Engineer (Stratfard), to be Assistant Mechanical Engineer, Stratford (Locomotive Mag., 1837, 43, 267). Locomotive Mag., 1944, 50, 41 stated had been engaged on special duties in the chief mechanical engineer's department, but had been appointed assistant locomotive running superintendent Western Section, Southern Area. Contributed to discussion on water softening at Manchester ILocoE meeting (on Wath shunting locomotives): J. Instn Loco. Engrs., 1937, 27, 245

King, Henry George
Born in 1887 and died on 18 August 1948. He was educated at Manchester Grammar School and the Municipal School of Technology and Victoria University and was the articled to H.A. Ivatt at Doncaster. He then became shed foreman at Nottingham in 1912, and assistant district locomotive superintendent of the West Riding in 1913. He then left railway work. He then worked for Greenwood & Batley, Clayton & Shuttleworth from 1916 (where he managed their aircraft division). In 1920 he became works manager at Vickers in Erith. In 1931 he became works manager of Platt Brothers in Oldham and in 1937 works director of the British Northrop Loom Co. He retired in 1947 to devote more time to compiling a history of the Great Nothern Railway. Obituary J. Instn Loco Engrs, 1948, 38, 861. Material in hands of Norman Kerr of Cartmel and section used in Locomotive Mag., 1954, 60, 10-11. Long contribution to Spencer's ILocoE Paper 465) on Gresley locomotive designs.

Marley, William [Bill]
Chapter 14 in Peter Townend. LNER Pacifics remembered:

Musgrave, George Arthur
Started as Premium Apprentice at Doncaster in 1902. In 1912 he was put in charge of Hatfield shed; in 1913 became Assistant Locomotive Superintendent of the Nottingham District. Presenter of Instn Loco. Engrs papers. Became Works Manager of Cowlairs in 1929 (Hughes: LNER, p. 146); then Locomotive Running Superintendent of the Scottish Area (Loco. Rly Carr. Wagon Rev., 1931, 37, 142), but became Locomotive Running Superintendent of the Eastern Region (Western Section) in 1838 until when he retired in 1949 (Locomotive Mag., 1949, 55, 62.) (Beavor p. 90).:In photograph of Sir Nigel Gresley naming ceremony. Locomotive Mag., 1937, 43, 400.
Locomotive running shed practice. J. Instn Loco. Engrs., 1920, 10, 512-36. (Paper No. 88) when Musgrave was in charge of Colwick depot.
Address by the Chairman of the North Eastern Centre: Institution's welfare and progress. J. Instn Loco. Engrs., 1927, 17, 664-86.
It is noteworthy that Gresley attended this meeting
The history, evolution and construction of the steam locomotive. LNER, 1937. 37pp.
Reprinted from LNER Magazine (Ottley 2864)
Comment on copper boiler tubes when acting as Chairman of ILocoE meeting at Doncaster
Discussion on Kyffin paper on axleboxes

Parker, F.
Former Works Manager. Paid £105 per quarter in March 1856. Resigned 1865 to join John Fowler & Co. of Leeds. Brown, F.A.S. Great Northern locomotive engineers. V. 1

Parker, L.
Mentioned in connection with exhaust by-pass valve fitted to P2 No. 2004 and drawn up by Parker as he was sent to Thornton Junction to unstick the valve. RCTS Locomotives of the LNER Part 6B page 185

Rowley, Horace
Chapter 5 in Peter Townend. LNER Pacifics remembered:

Sandiland, D.
Doncaster premium apprentice: photograph with others including P.N. Townend and R.H.N. Hardy and others beside No. 4468 Mallard in 1943. Peter Tuffrey A4 Pacific locomotives.

Shotton, John
Appointed Works Manager of the Doncaster 'Plant' in In August 1866. He came from Robert Stephenson & Co. with a starting salary of £400 per annum. Thus there came to the 'Plant' the man who was to be Stirling's friend and principal assistant for 29 years. He was born near. Newcastle in 1822 and had served an apprenticeship under the Stephensons, in whose employment he remained for over twenty years after finishing his pupilage. A typical Geordie, Shotton was somewhat brusque in manner, very plain in speech and a strict disciplinarian. But he was fair and generous in his dealings ,with the men at the 'Plant', who grew to regard him in high esteem. Shotton became a regular worshipper at the 'Plant' Church (St James's) and served for many years as a Churchwarden. Brown, F.A.S. Great Northern locomotive engineers. V. 1.

Steel, H.
Doncaster premium apprentice: photograph with others including P.N. Townend and R.H.N. Hardy and others beside No. 4468 Mallard in 1943. Peter Tuffrey A4 Pacific locomotives.

Street, Thomas Archibald
Chief draughtsman, Doncaster. Comment on copper boiler tubes at ILocoE meeting held at Doncaster in 1928. In photograph of Sir Nigel Gresley naming ceremony. Locomotive Mag., 1937, 43, 400.

Symes, B. [Barney] C.
Major contributor to Rogers' Thompson and Peppercorn. Symes was a senior draughtsman at Doncaster. Hughes notes that he was responsible for the detailed work on Cock o' the North and had observed that the design for the V1 had been roughed out on a sheet of blotting paper by Gresley. See Symes quotations in section on Thompson & Peppercorn. Chapter 6 in Peter Townend. LNER Pacifics remembered:

Taylor, B.
Doncaster premium apprentice: photograph with others including P.N. Townend and R.H.N. Hardy and others beside No. 4468 Mallard in 1943. Was J. Taylor below related?. Peter Tuffrey A4 Pacific locomotives.

Taylor, J.

Vereker, Rupert
According to R.H.N. Hardy Vereker was an Irishman, who was possibly related to Field Marshall Gort. When Hardy was an apprentice Vereker was in charge of the Crimpsall Repair Shop and was noted for his superheated language. Thompson arranged for his transfer to Mexborough running depot, thence to become District Locomotive Superintendent at Ardsley (recorded Loco. Rly Carr. Rev., 1947, 53, 31) and finally similarly at Norwich where Hardy worked under him at Ipswich. Little Bob had a fiery temper and his Crimpsall days was notorious for his sackings of staff. Harvey also encounterd the "fiery Irishman", but considered him to be a first-rate engineer and shrewd judge of men. Eric Bannister (page 11) encountered him in his Crimpsall days where Bannister's skill as a typist was appreciated.

Wintour, Francis
Educated at Rossall School, served as a pupil with Manning, Wardle & Co. then joined Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway under Barton Wright. Then sent to Fleetwood, following which was in charge of Bolton, Liverpool and Newton Heath locomotive districts (in sequence). In 1901 he joined GNR under Ivatt where he took charge of the West Riding district, then from 1902-1905. District Locomotive Superintendent at King's Cross. Ivatt had hoped to appoint Maunsell to be Works Manager at Doncaster when Marsh left, but Board insisted upon at internal promotion, and Wintour was promoted instead. (mainly Rly Mag., 1927, 61, 162). Clearly, trusted by Ivatt as delegated to speak on his behalf. Harvey called him "a tall, commanding, bowler-hatted figure" who was liable to throw things at premium apprentices and was very bluntly spoken. He had a son Gerald who was a Doncaster preniun apprentice..When Assistant Mechanical Engineer, LNER Southern Area, Doncaster he presented a report on Franklin's grease for axleboxes. Gresley's view on this was that it was possibly satisfactory at slow speeds; he would raise the matter again in six months' time, ARLE Minutes 1926 In photograph of Sir Nigel Gresley naming ceremony. Locomotive Mag., 1937, 43, 400.

Discussion on Hughes, George Locomotives designed and built at Horwich with some results. Proc. Instn Mech. Engrs, 1910, 77, 561-653. (via Bulleid's Master builders of steam)
Presented at IME Meeting in Liverpool on 27 July 1909. Wintour, speaking on behalf of Ivatt noted, "As Mr. Churchward has stated, it is absolutely necessary there shall be some check on the lubrication which, if it once gets slack, will cause a great smash on the engine. In one case where the lubrication failed, the piston and the cylinder were quite broken up, and we find it very necessary to have a reliable lubricator and a good cylinder oil, with steam superheated to 650°F. If these precautions are not taken, more cost may be incurred in five minutes than will be saved in two years." Like many others, Ivatt patented an arrangement of steam pipes in the smokebox, to provide a low degree of superheat in older engines where new tubeplates were hard to justify: but their complication militated against their advantage-they were mounted on trunnions to permit swinging them clear for tube-cleaning.

Involved in design of N1 class (where his experience at Kings Cross was useful): alleged to have said "That's what I call a good engine (Bulleid's Master builders of steam page 42)

Peter Tuffrey. Voices from Doncaster Plant Works. History Press, 2010
Brief biographies of: Roy Andrews 9; William 'Bill' Baxter 14; Alan Biggs 19; Doug Brown 24; Ben Burrell 30; Fred Cant 34; Derek Clarke 39; Audrey Cooper 43; Malcolm Crawley 49; Neil Daykin 55; Norman Fearnley 60; Jim Firth 65; Frank Frith 69; Vin Graves 72; Alan Harrison 77; Ron Mason 83; John Padley 88; Hugh Parkin 93; Brenda Penny 104; Pat Plant 109; Derek Porter 114; Roy Rowett 119; Arthur Shaw 124; Dave Smeaton 129; Malcolm Standage; 133; Chris Tyas 137; John Walker 141; Gilbert Wall 145; Margaret Wall 150; Tommy Wright 155 [numbers are pages where chapters begin]

2016-11-06