Overseas engineers

Mainly engineers, mainly trained in Britain (including Ireland), who spent their working lives in India or Africa or South America or one of the many other locations, typically in the former British Colonies and Empire. Most of information has come from obituaries in Journal of the Institution of Locomotive Engineers..

Agarwal, Rai Bahadur P. R.
Born in 1908; died 28 April 1950. Graduated from Benares Hindu University in 1930, where he stood First and was awarded the "Prince of Wales Gold Medal." After his apprenticeship on the G.I.P. and Jodhpur Railways, he joined the B.B. & C.I. Railway in 1935. He worked as District Locomotive and Carriage Superintendent at Ahmedabad and Bombay in 1939. In 1941 .he was selected for the post of Assistant Chief Controller of Standardization, Central Standards Office for Railways, and in 1944 became Deputy Director, Mechanical Engineering, Railway Board. For his war services he was awarded the "Rai Bahadur." In 1946 Agarwal went on deputation to the United Kingdom to attend the Empire and International Standards Conferences as a delegate of the Government of India. On return he worked as Locomotive Works Superintendent, Dohad, and then as Carriage Works Manager, Ajmer. From 1 January, 1948, his services were placed at the disposal of the Jodhpur Durbar for three years as Chief Mechanical Engineer, Jodhpur Railway. He was the first Indian to hold this appointment. Author of many technical Papers, published in Indian and Foreign Technical and Scientific Press, and was awarded the Railway Board Gold Medal and First Prize twice for Papers on Diesel Traction on Indian Railways and Locomotive Manufacture in India.
He was Member of the Faculty of Engineers, University of Rajputana, Jaipur; Board of. Studies in Engineering, Andhra University; Internal Combustion Engines Research Committee of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, India, and Prime Movers Panel, Government of India, Ministry of Industries and Supplies for setting up the Prime Mover Industry in India. He was Member and original sponsor of the Indian Standards Institution. I. Loco. E. obituary.

Atock, George
Born in Limerick on 22 May 1872. Son of Martin Atock, locomotive engineer. Died in Liverpool on 12 June 1944. Educated at Arnold College, Blackpool and High School, Dublin. Pupil of his father at Broadstone. Brief period with Kitson's and for a time foreman of the Tuam locomotive running district. Then spent his career on railways in Burma, Cuba and Venezuela.
US Patent 1,332,480 Liquid-fuel burner for furnaces of locomotive-boilers and for other furnaces. Published 2 March 1920
Shepherd, Ernie. The Atock/Attock family: a worldwide railway engineering dynasty. 2009. 264pp. (Oakwood Library of Railway History No. 150). NB Patent found on Espacenet

Barber, Sam
Died at Ewell, Surrey on 12 August 1962 aged 62. Educated at Kirkby Lonsdale and Queen’s College Oxford, where he took an honours degree in Mechanical Sciences. Served with Border Regiment during WW1 from 1918. Pupilage at Derby under Sir Henry Fowler; then joined Great Indian Peninsula Railway as a motive power officer in 1924. During his first posting he planned the then new Bhusaval locomotive machine and fitting shops at a time when steam locomotive shopping periods were being lengthened: work led to early promotion as Divisional Power Officer, followed by headquarter appointments as Line Fuel Officer and later as senior Motive Power Officer in Bombay. After a period as the GIP Railway’s Deputy General Manager at the end of WW2 he was transferred to London as European Liaison Officer for the re-constituted Indian Government Railway Board. Joined Merz and McLellan in 1955 when his work brought him into close contact with railway projects on Continental Europe, in Africa and in the UK. In India remembered for his fuel researches which led to the adoption of local low-grade fuels for the wide fire-box standard engines introduced throughout the country. He gained his soccer “blue”, played for the Corinthians and was signed as an amateur with Preston North End. Sam was never ruffled. He was remembered by his colleagues for his industry, modesty and his superbly clear and analytical mind which enabled him quickly to get to the root of every problem he tackled. He was a first class administrator and while not always in agreement with headquarter’s instructions, he possessed the commendable knack of being able to stick quietly and firmly to his point, thereby influencing policy to the good without upsetting anyone. He was elected a member of the Institution of Locomotive Engineers in 1938. Obituary: J. Instn Loco. Engrs., 1962, 52, 655-6...

Biernacki, Roderick Korneli
Polish: died 24 January 1943. Former Locomotive Superintendent Indian State Railways (Who Was Who) and see J. Instn Loco. Engrs., 1964, 54, 182 for comment by Kenneth Cantlie."one of the most remarkable and temperamental C.M.E.’s India has ever known. The railways had always kept a careful check of the lot or cast numbers of all axles, so that if more than two or three broke due to spreading cracks, all the axles in that lot were withdrawn. Two axles of one lot had broken in quick succession and Biernacki examined them. “The trouble with these axles”, he said, “is not the steel, but their shape. These axles are parallel and have no extra flexibility at their centres. Wohler did not go far enough-have you read Wohler? No? Then read him at once-he (Wohler) suggested that we should reduce the diameter of axles below the diameter of the wheel-seats to lessen the stress concentration there, but did not make the deduction that this reduced concentration was mainly due to increased flexibility of the axles. We shall test this. We will turn down the centre of the axle below that of the wheel-seats, but will also taper the axle towards the centre and I think that that will stop the trouble.” This was done and, for the next four years at least, there were no more breakages.

Bigg-Wither, L.
Chief Mechanical Engineer Great Indian Peninsular Railway: retired 1932. See Loco. Rly Carr. Wagon Rev., 1932, 38, 103.

Bowkett, Sydney Thomas
Died on 29 November 1932, aged 58: elected a Member of the Institution of Locomotive Engineers in 1920 on the formation of the South American Centre. At the age of 14 he joined the Buenos Aires Great Southern Railway Company as office cadet and later took up a footplate career. After a period of six years he relinquished this vocation to occupy the post of Secretary to the Locomotive Inspector of the Empalme Lobos Section. On 1 January 1913, he was promoted Travelling Foreman, from which post he retired on pension in June 1932 after 37 years' service. Bowkett was a very conscientious employee and was very much esteemed by his fellow workers. He was a staunch supporter of the Institution, and never failed to attend the meetings of the South American Centre. ILocoE obituary, 1933, 23, 159.

Bruce, William Duff
Born at Brooklawn near Mowhill, County Leitrim on 10 April 1839. Educated in St Andrews, Scotland. Apprenticed at Thomas Grendon of Drogheda for four years and then returned to St Andrews for further study before going to India where he studied at Roorkee College before taking up career in Indian public works, In 1887 set up as consulting engineer in Westminster where he was involved in Indian railways including Assam Bengal Railway. Died in London on 24 April 1900. Obit. Proc. Instn Mech. Engrs., 1900, 58, 324 and Mike Chrimes in Chrimes.

Buttle, David Carleton
Died 3 May 1942 when aged 76. He had been connected with railways since 1880 when he began his six years’ apprenticeship with the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway at their Brighton works. After three years’ experience in the company’s service as locomotive inspector and foreman, he went abroad as superintendent of locomotives, carriages and wagons for the Great Southern Railway of Spain, a position which he retained until 1906. In the following year he began his long association with South American railways by his appointment as locomotive superintendent of the Antofagasta and Bolivia Railway. In 1914 he transferred his services to the Nitrate Railways of Chile and subsequently joined the board of directors. Mr. Buttle was elected a Member of the IMechE in 1907. Obituary 149 page 164

Cardus, James
Born in Leeds in 1898, and educated at Cockburn High School. His technical knowledge was obtained at Holbeck Mechanics Institute and Leeds University (Evening Sessions). He joined Messrs. Job, Day & Sons as a junior draughtsman in 1912, and a year later was apprenticed to Messrs. Manning, Wardle & Co., spending two years in the various shops, and the remainder of his time in the drawing office. For fifteen months of WW1 he was in the Royal Air Force as a fitter and turner, before returning to Manning, Wardle as a locomotive draughtsman, with whom he remained until 1924, when he migrated to Buenos Ayres to become a locomotive draughtsman in the locomotive drawing office of the chief mechanical engineer of the Central Argentine Railway. In 1934 he was in charge of the locomotive drawing office and in 1936 assistant chief draughtsman of the locomotive carriage and wagon drawing office, subsequently becoming chief in 1937. Died 26 October 26 1940. Obituary: J. Instn Loco. Engrs., 1940, 30, 502.

Carr, Andrew Custance
Carr was born in 1867 and received his early education at Berwick-on-Tweed Grammar School from 1876 to 1884. He served his engineering apprenticeship on the North Eastern Railway at Gateshead Works. Whilst there he attended. Durham College of Science. On completion of his time he was made an Inspector of Material and for a short time was in charge of the mechanical test house and District Inspector of Stationary Machinery. In 1892 he joined the locomotive department of the East Indian Railway where he rose to become the Deputy Locomotive Superintendent. In 1905 he joined the Bengal Nagpur Railway as Deputy Chief Mechanical Engineer. In 1909 he visited railway workshops in the United States and Canada, and in 1912 he became Chief Mechanical Engineer of the BNR. For the 1917-18 Session he was Chairman of the Locomotive, Carriage and Wagon Superintendent's Committee of the Indian Railway Conference Association. In 1918 he was loaned to the British Government and took over the general managership of Coventry Ordnance Works, returning to India in 1920 as Agent and General Manager of the B.N. Rly. In 1922 he retired from India and became a Partner in Sir John Wolfe Barry & Partners. He was President of the Institution of Locomotive Engineers, Session 1935-36 (Address). He was renowned for his sound judgment and rendered valuable service to the Institution  of Locomotive Engineers in many directions. He died on January 25th at the age of 77. Obituary J. Instn Loco. Engrs, 1945, 35, 77-8 (with port.).

Collins, Francis Richard
Lieutenant-Colonel Francis Richard Collins, D.S.O., Officier Legion d’honneur, President for Instn Loco. Engrs. 1937-38, was son of Rev. Richard Collins, and was born in 1873. He was educated at Almondbury Grammar School and Huddersfield Technical School. On leaving school, in 1891, he became a premium apprentice at the Crewe Works of the LNWR and, on completion of his time, a pupil of F.W. Webb. In 1896, after a term in the Drawing Office, he was appointed Locomotive Foreman at Ordsall Lane (Manchester), being transferred later to Aston Shed at Birmingham and then to Camden.
In 1901-2 he was placed in command of a section of the 2nd Cheshire R.E. (Railway Volunteers) in the South African War, attached to the 10th Company of Royal Engineers, and later to the Imperial Military Railways. From 1902-4 he was District Locomotive Supt. at Bloemfontein, on the Central South African Railways. He was appointed Works Manager at Pretoria in 1 9 ~ 4an d Supt. Mech. and Motive Power, South African Railways, at Johannesburg in 1908.
In 1914-15 he was Lieutenant-Colonel, commanding the South African Engineer Corps, in the operations in South- West Africa, and was mentioned in despatches. He came to France in 1916, in command of the South African Railway Troops, and, later, was appointed Assistant Director of Light Railways, Fifth Army. He was again mentioned in despatches and awarded the D.S.O. and made an Officier Legion d’honneur.
Returning to the services of the South African Railways in 1919, he visited Canada and the U.S.A. on inspection work and was appointed, in 1920, Advisory Engineer to the High Commissioner for the Union of South Africa in London. In 1922 he became Chief Mechanical Engineer of the South African Railways, residing in Pretoria. He retired in 1929. Died 19 October 1957..
He was a delegate at the International Railway Conferences at Berne in 1910; at Rome in 1922; and in London in 1925. He was elected a Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers in 1917 and a Member of the Institution of Locomotive Engineers in 1920. J. Instn Loco. Engrs, 1937, 27, 461 (obituary J. Instn Loco. Engrs, 1957, 47,  544-5) and Loco. Rly Carr. Wagon Rev., 1937, 43, 313-14.

Cossey, John Cecil George
Died 16 June 1962 aged seventy-nine, retired from the boards of ABC Coupler and Engineering Co. Ltd., Wota Ltd. and Meboe Ltd. in 1948. Began career as a premium apprentice in 1900 at Stratford Works of Great Eastern Railway, later becoming a draughtsman. He subsequently gained experience in the shops of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway, and afterwards became Shop Superintendent, Canadian National Railways, Winnipeg. He joined the ABC Coupler and Engineering Co. Ltd. as Engineer and Secretary in 1920, becoming a Director and Chief Engineer in 1933. Obituary: J. Instn Loco. Engrs., 1962, 52, 316-17..

Dyer, Terence Armston Stewart
Born on 2 November 1874 in Lucknow, India, and began his engineering career at the Crystal Palace School of Engineering, Sydenham. He received his practical training in the works of the Glenfield Engineering Co. and Andrew Barclay & Co., Kilmarnock and at Dubs & Co., Glasgow . From May 1899 to early 1902 he undertook inspection of locomotives and rolling stock ordered in America for Egypt, and in Glasgow for the South Africa Field Force. In 1902 he joined the inspection staff of Messrs Rendel, Palmer & Tritton (Messrs Rendel & Robertson as it was then called) and carried out insprction duties for that firm until 1907 when he set up his own inspection business in France, Belgium and Germany. From 1915 to 1919 he acted as representative of the Consulting Engineers to the War Oficc and Messrs Rendel, Palmer & Tritton, in U.S.A. After the first World War ended he re-opened his business in Europe and for some time represented leading London Consulting Engineers on the Continent until his retirement. He was awarded the M.B.E. for his war services in the first World War. Mr. Stewart Dyer, who had been a Member since 1922, bequeathed at his death, which occurred on 14 June 1951, the sum of £500 to the Institution. The Council have decided to set this money aside to support awards for Papers originating in the Local Centres; such awards to be entitled The Stewart Dyrr Awards.

Dykes, A.J.
Former pupil of Tannett & Walker of Leeds, and assistant to C.H. Liverick, district locomotive superintendent Colwick (GNR) appointed locomotive superintendent Mauritius Railway. Loco. Mag., 1904, 10, 38.

Ferguson, Archibald
Born Glasgow 22 September 1903; died on 8 August 1962. Educated Whitehill Senior Secondary School and Glasgow Royal Technical College. In 1918 apprenticed with Messrs. Barr and Stroud, joining their staff as a draughtsman in 1925. In August 1927 he transferred to the LMS Railway as a draughtsman at St. Rollox Works, where he was in charge of design for jigs, fixtures, tools, shop layout, etc. In 1930 he took up an appointment with the Burma Railways, being progressively Draughtsman, Chief Draughtsman, Personal Assistant to the CME and Assistant Works Manager. During the Japanese occupation of Burma, he was employed in India and in London as a planning officer on the preparation of locomotive and machinery requirements for the rehabilitation of the Burma Railways. On the re-occupation of Burma he became Works Manager at Insein Locomotive Works, where his powers of improvisation and his devotion to his beloved workshops ensured that they were back into useful production long before the expected planned date. For this work he received an MBE. In 1948 when Burma achieved independence Archie Ferguson returned to the United Kingdom and joined the staff of Rendel Palmer and Tritton as an Inspecting Engineer. He remained with this firm in charge of Inspection in the London Area until his death. Obituary: J. Instn Loco. Engrs., 1962, 52, 317.

Garrow, Robert G.
Born Helmsdale, Sutherland, 10 December. 1876; son of William Garrow (presumably Superintendent of the Line, Highland Railway) and Annie Urquhart; died 2 October 1932 Educated High School and Royal Academy, Inverness. Trained on Highland Railway, afterwards Caledonian Railway; Worked in Egypt, 1906–11, then Irrigation Service; Argentine Republic, Irrigation Rio Negro Valley, 1911–15; served WW1 1916–19 in Mesopotamia., From 1919–30; Engineer-in-Chief, Buenos Aires Great Southern Railway Company. CBE 1919.

Goring, G.I.
G.I. Goring had been appointed Chief Mechanical Engineer of the British Guiana Government Railways and A. H. July  was Assistant Mechanical Engineer. Loco. Mag., 1933, 39, 269,

Helliwell, James W.
Born in Yorkshire in 1881. He trained as an engineer with the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway at Horwich, Newton Heath and Somerley Bridge. In 1902 he was employed by the Central South African Railways as a fitter and draughtsman, with whom he remained for six years, proceeding from there to India where he was employed by the Indian State Railways. In 1916 he received a commission in the R.O.D. of the Royal Engineers, retiring with the rank of Major in 1919 to join the North-Western Railway of India as a District Locomotive Supt. In 1925 he became Works Manager of the Locomotive, Carriage and Wagon Shops at Karachi, and from 1927 to 1931 held a similar post at Lahore. From January, 1931, he was appointed Locomotive, Carriage and Wagon Supt. of the Bikaner State Railways, retiring in 1933. On his return to England he went to live in Bournemouth. He died on 9 April 1934. Obit. J. Instn Loco. Engrs, 1934, 24, 611-12.

Jones, Hugh
Son of David Jones of Highland Railway and apprenticed at Lochgorm Works. Went to South Africa. see Sinclair, Neil T. Beyond the Highland Railway - Part Two. Backtrack, 2010, 24, 348-51.

July, A.H.
When G.I. Goring was appointed Chief Mechanical Engineer of the British Guiana Government Railways: A. H. July  was Assistant Mechanical Engineer. Loco. Mag., 1933, 39, 269,

Kyte, Gordon William
Born September 1901, received early education at Wimborne and, later, at Cardiff  Technical College. In 1918 he became an articled pupil of J. Cameron, Chief Mechanical Erigineer of the Taff Vale Railway. At the termination of his pupilage, he remained for a short period as an improver until called into the drawing office of W. Kyte in 1922. In 1925 he was appointed Draughtsman and Assistant to the Locomotive Works Managerof the Antofagasta and Bolivia Railway at Mejellones, Chile. He left in 1927, and was appointed Assistant Transportation Superintendent (Power) on the Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway Co. in 1928. He held this appointment up to the time of his decease, which occurred in 1936 at the early age of 35. Obituary J. Instn Loco. Engrs., 1936, 26, 655.

Lamb, George Hamish
Born 15 March 1887. Educated Loughborough Grammar School and Nottingham University College. Engineering apprenticeship with Brush Electrical, then served in several electrical concerns. Following military service in WW1 where he saw service on the Mesopotanian Railways untl 1921 he joined the GIPR where he retired as deputy chief mechanical engineer in 1947 and retired to Australia where he died on 24 September 1948. Obituary: J. Instn Loco Engrs, 1948, 38, 862

Leigh-Bennett, P.R.
Former LSWR district locomotive superintendent at Salisbury, appointed assistant locomotive superintendent Bengal Nagpur Ry. Locomotive Mag., 1912, 18, 249

Lloyd, George Wilmot
Born in 1885. Died from cholera at Lucknow on 26 June 1932. Had spent many years in India as locomotive superintendent on various sections of the North Western and East Indian Railways. He was educated at Merchant Taylors' School and Finsbury Technical College, and commenced his apprenticeship in 1904 at Hyde Park Works of North British Locomotive Company, Glasgow. In 1907 joined Blackstone and Company of Stamford as general draughtsman and remained with them until 1908. He then went to Canada for about four months on construction work which was being carried out by the New Canadian Company of Port Daniel in connexion with the Atlantic Quebec and Western Railway, Gaspé Canada. On return to England in 1909 became personal assistant to E. Bailey-Denton of Westminster for a period of six months. He then joined, in 1910, the GNR at King's Cross as charge-hand fitter in the running sheds. In 1911 Lloyd went to Chile as draughtsman on the Antofagasta and Bolivia Railway. Obitauary Proc. Instn Mech. Engrs., 1932, 122, 730.

Mayne, James George
Born 29 July 1880; died 3 February 1949. His early education was received at Rainings School, Inverness, and then at Edinburgh Royal High School, andHeriot Watt Technical College. His engineering apprenticeship was served with the Rose St. Foundry and Engineering Co., Inverness, who did work for the Highland Railway Co. On completion of his apprenticeship he joined Andrew Barclay, Sons and Co., Kilrnarnock, as an improver , but left three years later on the appointment of assistant mechanical engineer with the Lautaro Nitrate Co., of Taltal, Chili. The next three years he spent as assistant locomotive superintendent of the Cuban Central Railways and from 1909 to 1912 was locomotive superintendent of the Western Railway of Havana. For one year he was manager of Havana Dry Dock and Repair Co. before being appointed locomotive superintendent of the Bolivian section of the Antofagasta and Bolivia Railway Co. in November 1913. On the departure of H. A. Harrison, C.M.E. of the Chilian Section, to join H.M. Forces at the end of 1915, Mayne became C.M.E. of both sections until 1919 when he joined Percy Grant and Co., of Buenos Ayres, becoming managing director of the local branch in 1925. In 1920 he co-operated with M.F. Ryan, in inaugurating the South American Centre of the Institution of Locomotive Engineers. He was its first hon. secretary and was greatly responsible for its success. He served as chairman for the year 1931/32 and again for 1933/34. For his services to the local centre extending over many years he was made an honorary life member in 1945. He came to England in April 1948 and resided with his son in Yorkshire. J. Instn Loco. Engrs., 1949, 39, 111.

Milne, W.
Locomotive Superintendent Natal Government Railway. Introduced 4-8-2Ts, built by Dübs in 1888. Backtrack, 2008, 22, 686.

Mollett, John Donald
Joined Institution of Locomotive Engineers 1919 (obituary Journal 1936, 26, 656), was a Member of the Committee of the Indian and Eastern Centre. Born in July, 1886, and educated at Congleton and Wesley College, Sheffield, he received his engineering training in the locomotive workshops of the North Eastern Railway, at Darlington, from 1904 to 1907 and for three years afterwards was in the outside machinery department. On appointment to the Indian State Railways, in January, 1911, as an Assistant Locomotive Superintendent, he was posted to the North-Western Railway. He was working as District Locomotive Superintendent at the outbreak of WW1 and in 1915 he went to East Africa with the Indian Expeditionary Force with the rank of Lieutenant, being promoted later to Captain, in the Corps of Royal Engineers; he was in charge of various railway work, including the Voi Military Railway and the German Railway Workshops at Dar-es-Salaam. His military services were acknowledged by the award of the Military Cross. Returning to the North-Western Railway after demobilisation, he was employed as District Locomotive Superintendent, being promoted later to Divisional Superintendent, Quetta. Subsequently he held the posts of Superintendent of Mechanical Workshops, Moghalpura; Deputy Agent, Organisation, under the Pope Committee, and for a short period as Deputy Chief Mechanical Engineer. He was promoted to Chief Mechanical Engineer of the North-Western Railway in March, 1936, and held that post until his death in September, 1936.

Mullick, Ajit Kumar
Died 7 December 1962; born 1907: educated at St. Xavier’s College, Calcutta and the Leys School, Cambridge. Served pupilage under R.E.L. Maunsell, Chief Mechanical Engineer of the Southern Railway, joined the former Eastern Bengal Railway as an Assistant Locomotive Superintendent. During WW2 was commissioned in the Indian Engineers’ Corps and served as an Assistant Technical Recruiting Officer in Calcutta. On the formation of the Defence of India Corps, he was seconded to that establishment as second-in-command of the Bengal Assam Railway Group in which formation he attained the rank of Major. At time of Indian partition, he was serving as Works Manager, Saidpur on the Bengal-Assam Railway and was transferred as Works Manager (C. & W.) to Kanchrapara. After serving in various capacities as a Deputy CME on the Bengal Assam and East Indian Railways, he was appointed CME of the Northern Railway in 1952 and in 1956 transferred in the same capacity to the Eastern Railway. In 1960 Mullick was appointed Senior Deputy General Manager, S.E. Railway. Obituary: J. Instn Loco Engrs, 1963, 53, 134-5.

Nollins, L.N.
Chief draughtsman East Indian Railway. See letter Locomomtive Mag., 1906, 12, 180

Page, Frederick James
Born in 1877. He died on 20 December, 1932, as a result of a motor accident.  He served his apprenticeship with the Great Northern Railway at Peterborough, on the completion of which he entered the Works of Kitson and Co., of Leeds, as a mechanic, but returned very shortly to the Great Northern Railway as a Chargeman and Relieving Foreman in the Running Shed at Grantham. In 1902 he was appointed Locomotive Carriage and Wagon Works Manager of the South Indian Railway at Negapatam, which post he held until 1906 when he was appointed District Locomotive and Carriage Superintendent of the Bombay Baroda and Central India Railway, subsequently being made Deputy Locomotive and Carriage Superintendent. In 1910 he became Locomotive Carriage and Wagon Superintendent of the Broad Gauge section at Bombay, and in 1929 Director of Mechanical Engineering to the Rail way Board of India. In 1932 he returned to England on leave prior to his retirement, and at the same time was appointed a Director of H.E.H. Nizam's State Railway. He was actively interested in the affairs of the Institute in India, and was Chairman of the Centre in 1930. I Loco E obituary (23, 159-60). Loco. Rly Carr. Wagon Rev., 1933, 39, 29.

Pearce, Robert Webb
Born Macclesfield on 11 November 1831, educated at the local grammar school. Apprenticed to Brown Marshalls & Co., in New Canal Street, Birmingham, and afterwards at their new Britannia Carriage Works, Saltley. Passing through the shops he became confidential assistant and chief of the drawing office. In 1855 he was offered and accepted the post of carriage and wagon superintendent of the East Indian Railway, and left England in December 1855; but finding his position not what he expected, he would have left the railway and started wagon-building works in India. He was persuaded however to remain, and afterwards had independent charge of the carriage and wagon department from Howrah to Delhi and Jubbulpore, about 1,500 miles of line. The large works at Howrah were designed and built under his superintendence, employing at the busiest time from three to four thousand local workmen, all trained under him. The whole of the East Indian Railway stock has been built or erected at the Howrah works, together with a great portion of the stock in use by the metre-gauge railways. His designs were copied throughout India, and he was the first to introduce iron instead of wood for the panels and framing of carriages and wagons. He was also the first to recognise the value of oil as a lubricant for railway vehicles, instead of grease; and his design of an axle-box for oil and cotton waste became almost universally adopted in India. He nearly doubled the carrying power of the old wagon stock, by increasing the size of axle and journal ; and, had he lived, would shortly have completed his design of 18 feet by 9 feet iron covered goods wagon, weighing 7 tons and carrying 15 tons, a gross load of 22 tons on two axles with 43 inch journals ; paying load more than 2 to 1. The improvements he introduced into railway carriages and wagons were so numerous and so important that he has been called the father of carriage and wagon building in India, and is looked upon in this light by the natives. His long residence in the tropical climate of Bengal, and his disinclination to take leave of absence during thirteen years with scarcely a day’s holiday, and his constant application to work, eventually told on a fine constitution. A few years ago he was attacked with malarious fever, from which he never quite recovered ; and in April 1888 he took furlough to England, but too late to shake off the effects of climate ; and he died at West Kensington, London, on 26 July 1889.

Rennie, Charles
Died 23 October 1926 at Bridgtown, Barbados. Born Jamestown, Scotland in 1869. Early education at Renton and Bonhill Public Schools. From 1884-88 was apprentice boiler maker at Dalmonach Works, Bonhill, Scotland. Then joined New York Central Railroad in locomotive department from 1889-1901. He then went to the machine shops of the Delaware and Hudson RR at Green Island for two years, and then for three years was master mechanic at the Central Vermont RR shops, Brattleboro. In 1906 appointed locomotive superintendent of the Northern Railroad of Costa Rica, but relinquished position to serve with British Army in France, 1918-19. Next appointment was Divisional Locomotive Superintendent, Cuban Central Railway, from 1920-21, after which he became the Railway Lubrication Service Engineer of the Galena Signal Oil in the Argentine. In 1924 he resigned to resume old post with Northern RR of Costa Rica, but serious illness on voyage there caused him to retire from active work and return to Bonhill. On regaining strength he rejoined the Galena Signal Oil., but in a few months his illness re-occurred and forced him to give up work: he died in Barbados whilst en route to Costa Rica.

Renwick, Henry Percival
Born  London in 1889. Died 24 October 1958. Educated St Olave's Grammar School. Apprenticed on SECR at Longhedge. Went to India in 1912 to work on Nizam's State Railway. See ILocoE papers 130 and 320..  Obit. J. Instn Loco. Engrs, 1958, 48, 420

Ribeiro, George
Worked on Great Western of Brazil Railway. Produced train rating diagrams published by the Locomotive Publishing Co.

Roberts, Ian
Apprentice at Lochgorm Works from 1909. Served with the Lovat Scouts during WW1; following which he moved to St. Rollox on the Caledonian Railway. In 1921 he became assistant locomotive superintendent on the Mesopotanian Railway, and became works manager at the Stalchiyah Works in Baghdad. In 1939 he left to work for the British Ministry of Supply in Canada. He retired to Ireland. see Sinclair, Neil T. Beyond the Highland Railway - Part Two. Backtrack, 2010, 24, 348-51..

Sarjant, S.J.
Locomotive superintendent, GIPR see Locomotive Mag., 1913, 19, 3 and long contribution to Hitchcock's paper on Indian standrad locomotives.

Sandiford, Charles
Locomotive Superintendent of Scinde, Punjab, and Delhi Railway: in 1883 developed two cylinder and four-cylinder compound locomotives (described in I. Mech E paper). Gairns.

Charles de Segundo, Frederick.
Born London in 1900. Died 9 October 1931. Joined Royal Air Force as cadet pilot in October 1918, but demobilized in January 1919, and after a few months’ study became an assistant master at a preparatory school. In July 1920 he became a pupil of Gresley  in the locomotive department of the Great Northern Railway at Doncaster. After further experience in the running department of the company he went to South America in 1926 as assistant district locomotive superintendent on the Buenos Ayres Great Southern Railway. He was eventually obliged to return to England on sick leave, and owing to continued ill-health was unable to return to Buenos Ayres. . Obitauary Proc. Instn Mech. Engrs., 1932, 122, 735.

Shea, Frederick James
Frederick James Shea was born on 6 July 1891 at Moonee Ponds, Melbourne, third of nine children of Victorian (State)-born parents Frederick Shea, compositor, and his wife Ellen, née Crofts. Fred won a scholarship to the Melbourne Continuation School where he developed his technical abilities and skill in mathematics and physics. In 1907 he was apprenticed  as a fitter and turner in the Victorian Railways' workshops in Newport. After obtaining a diploma in mechanical engineering (1914) at the Working Men's College, he moved to head office as an engineering-assistant and worked under (Sir) Harold Clapp and A.E. Smith. During his sixteen years with the Victorian Railways he contributed to electrification, modern workshop methods and the railway engineering-defence connection. On 21 October 1916 at St Mary's Catholic Church, Hawthorn, he married Eileen Marjorie Smythe (d.1951). In 1923 Clapp recommended Shea to the chief commissioner of South Australian Railways, W.A. Webb, who was planning to modernize the State's rail system. As chief mechanical engineer (1923-39), Shea oversaw the transformation of the S.A.R. Initially, he overhauled the Islington workshops and tool-room. He then designed three types of locomotives—the 4-8-2 Mountain 500 class, the 4-6-2 Pacific 600 class and the 2-8-2 Mikado 700 class and supervised their construction (overseas and later at Islington) and adapted them to local conditions. These designs earned him a reputation as a big power man. For nearly thirty years (from 1924) he was an honorary lieutenant colonel in the Engineer and Railway Staff Corps, Citizen Military Forces. He also served (1932) on a committee of inquiry into the Adelaide Electric Supply Co. Ltd. World War II extended Shea's career. His mentor, Clapp, general manager (from 1939) of Commonwealth aircraft production, asked him to help with the Bristol Beaufort bomber project. Following the formation of the Aircraft Production Commission under Essington Lewis, Shea managed (1940-41)—from his base at Fishermens Bend, Melbourne—the vast network of government and commercial workshops that comprised the Beaufort division. He was responsible for converting much of Australian industry to a war footing. From January 1942 he was director of aircraft maintenance, Department of Aircraft Production. Augmenting his professional roles with a number of honorary consultancies in government and semi-government service, he published (in 1934) 'The Modern Dynamometer Car' in the Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, and (in 1946) 'The Case for the Iron Horse' in the Journal of the Institute of Transport. Towards the end of the war Clapp, by then director-general of land transport, again called on Shea. He needed a chief mechanical engineer to implement the Commonwealth government's proposal to standardize Australia's railway gauges. Shea joined the venture as director of mechanical engineering in the railway standardization division. Once back in railway work, however, he attracted the attention of the Clyde Engineering Co. Pty Ltd which, in association with General Motors Corporation, was manufacturing locomotives at Granville, Sydney. He worked for that company as director of engineering from 1946 until his retirement in 1958, after which he continued as a consultant to the firm. A Clyde-Maybach diesel hydraulic locomotive was named the F.J. Shea in his honour. Shea's life was driven by his energy. A slim youth of middle height who filled out in later life, he was known as a fast mover, talker and thinker. He loved Gilbert and Sullivan, and relaxed by listening to records of their operettas and by copious reading, especially about the engineering feats of ancient civilizations. His daughter Betty remembered him as a generous and kind man 'with an unquenchable sense of humour' and as one who was so 'totally absorbed in his work' that he 'did not have much time for sport or hobbies'. On the job he was a rigorous perfectionist and a stickler for detail. As a manager these attributes sometimes made him a hard taskmaster and a grim, rather awesome colleague. In retirement Shea lived at Clareville Beach. He died on 6 September 1970 at Mona Vale and was buried in Northern Suburbs cemetery. Carol Fort in Australian Dictionary of Biography,

Smith, Joseph George
Elected ILocoE Member in 1921, when he was a District Locomotive Superintendent on the Ceylon Government Railways. Born London in 1885; served his apprenticeship at Nine Elms, the Locomotive Works of the LSWR under Dugald Drummond. At the same time attended the Battersea Polytechnic, studying Machine Construction and Drawing and Mathematics. Two years after finishing his time he was made chargeman of the valve setters and four years later, that was in 1912, accepted an appointment as Locomotive Foreman with the Ceylon Government Railways. He very soon gained promotion, being made District Locomotive Superintendent in 1916, at Colombo, and in 1924 became Assistant Divisional Transportation Superintendent. He was Acting Assistant General Manager (Operating) in 1927 and confirmed in the appointment in 1928. He was appointed Divisional Transportation Superintendent in 1931 and from November, 1933, to July, 1934, was Acting Deputy General Manager (Operating). He retired in 1940 and returned to England, becoming an active member of the Home Guard. He died suddenly on 3 July 1941. Obit: J. Instn Loco. Engrs., 1934, 44, 341-2.

Smyth, William Addison
Born in Dublin in 1902. Pupil of W.H. Morton at Broadstone from 1920. Moved to Ceylon in 1929 where he became Deputy Mechanical Engineer in 1931 and Mechanical Engineer in 1935. Implemented a diesel traction policy.
Shepherd, Ernie. The Atock/Attock family: a worldwide railway engineering dynasty. 2009. 264pp. (Oakwood Library of Railway History No. 150). NB Patent found on Espacenet

Sturgeon, William Ambrose
Born in Gillingham, Kent, in 1868. His father took him to Buenos Aires when a small child, and he was educated at a "Scotch" school, situated at that time in Calle Peru. He served his Engineering Apprenticeship on the B.A. & Great Southern Railway from 1883 to 1889, finishing up in the Drawing Office. For a time he was Assistant Inspector of Vacuum Brakes, Water & Gas, and left in 1890 to take up a similar post on the B.A. Western Railway. In 1894 he was made Superintendent of all outside Locomotive Depots with Headquarters at Bragado. At the end of 1908 he was transferred to Haedo as Assistant Chief Mecanico y Traccion and in 1923 was made Assistant Mechanical Engineer-in-Chief at Liniers, which post he held until his retirement in 1927 after 45 years’ continuous railway service. He died in Buenos Aires on 28 December 1936. Obituary: J. Instn Loco. Engrs., 1937, 27, 581.

Tarleton, Robert Alexander
Born 20 October 1893, elected an Associate Member of Institution of Locomotive Engineers in 1921 (obituary Journal, 1936, 26, 834), received his early education at Grove Academy, and his technical education at Dundee Technical College, and Herriot Watt College. His engineering apprenticeship was served with the Lilybank Foundry, Dundee, from 1909 to 1913, on completion of which he entered the drawing office. At the outbreak of WW1 he joined up, being commissioned in the R.G.A. from which he later transferred to the R.F.C. On being dernobilised in 1920 he entered the drawing office of the North British Railway. In 1921 he was appointed Assistant Locomotive Superintendent on the Jodhpur-Bikaner Rly., and on the separation of the line under two States he remained in Jodhpur. At the time of his death which occurred on 16 November 1936, in a flying accident, he was acting Locomotive Superintendent.

Watson, Allan Griffiths
Born Hopetown, Cape Province in 1876. Died in Cape Town on 13 November 1945. Chief Mechanical Engineer, South African Railways & Harbours. Educated South Africa College and began apprenticeship at Beaufort Works in 1894, but in 1895 went to Hyde Park Works in Glasgow and Glasgow Technical College. Returned to Southern Africa in 1900 rejoining the Cape Government Railways at Springfontein. In 1901 he was appointed temporary acting district locomotive superintendent at Naauwpoort. Between 1902 and 1910 was chief draughtsman at Uitenhage. In 1910, when the railways were united to form South African Railways & Harbours Watson was appointed assistant superintendent (mechanical) at Kimberley. In 1914-15 he was on active service in South West Africa in the S African Engineering Corps, returning to Kimberley until 1922 when he was appointed mechanical engineer at Uitenhage works. In 1926 he was appointed to the same position at Durban works where he designed and built some low-cost double-englned railcars for branch-line work. On 1 April 1928 he was appointed assistant CME at Pretoria and on 1 April 1929 succeeded Lt Col L. Collins as CME of the entire S African Rs & Harbours (see Locomotive, 1929, 35, 186). He introduced water-softening plants for the Karoo Cape Midlands and SW African systems, modernized works with improved layouts, machinery and buildings, and established the construction of rolling stock in the Administrion's own works. He introduced three standard locomotive boilers and developed several large locomotive types including the 15E class 4-8-2 and the 16E class 4-6-2 for main line work, and the 19B and 19C 4-8-2, 20 class 2-8-2 and 21 class 2-10-4 for branch line service on 45 and 60lb/yd rails. He retired in 1936. Marshall.

Whitton, John
Born at Foulby near Wakefield on 21 December 1819 and died in Sydney, Australia on 20 February 1898. He was articled to his cousin William Billinton (note Marshall, probably incorrectly stated "Billington") who was involved in waterworks for Wakefield. In 1846 he went to work for Hawkshaw on the Leeds & Manchester Railway and in 1848 he became an assistant engineer to John Fowler on the eastern section of the Manchester Sheffield & Lincolnshire Railway. In 1852 he was appointed engineer of the Oxford, Worcester & Wolverhampton Railway. In March 1856 he was appointed Engineer-in-chief of the New South Wales Government Railways. He was responsible for engineering the great trunk routes to coonect Sydney with Albury to connect with the railways in Victoria (Whitton would have chosen a common 5ft 3in gauge, but was defeated on this; a route towards Queensland. The Great Zig Zag was one of his many achievements.  Michael R. Bailey in Chrimes.

Whitty, Irwine John
Born in Kilrush, Co. Clare on 18 June 1839; died in Bristol on 22 February 1913. Engineer of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway. Educated Queen's College, Cork. Served pupilage with P.R. Roddy on construction of Cork and Limerick lines. 1863 joined staff of East India Railway and served for 16 years in its development. In 1879 appointed chief engineer for construction of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway on completion of which he joined the staff of the Bengal-Nagpur Railway. Retired 1889 as executive engineer. Marshall.

Williams, A.E.
Became CME Great India Peninsular Railway in 1932; formerly Deputy CME: Loco Rly Carr. Wagon Rev., 1932, 38, 103.

Williams, George Francis
Born in August, 1880, received his early education at Colchester. At the age of 16 he entered the service of the GER at Colchester locomotive running shed, and remained there until 1903, when he was engaged as a driver on the Madras Rly. Soon after 1908, when the railway became the Madras and Southern Mahratta, he was made a locomotive foreman and, later, a locomotive inspector. In 1929 he was appointed Acting Assistant Locomotive Superintendent, and, in 1932, Assistant Transportation Superintendent (Power), which post he held up to the time of his decease, which took place in Madras at the age of 55.