North British Locomotive Company
The company was formed in 1903 from several older companies, the oldest of which was Sharp, Roberts & Co. (originally of Manchester), Neilson, and Dübs & Co. Lowe notes that the firm of Neilson & Mitchell was founded by Walter Neilson and James Mitchell in about 1836. In 1837 it had become Kerr, Mitchell & Neilson, but by 1845 it was Neilson & Co. Dübs & Co of the Glasgow Locomotive Works was formed by Henry Dübs in 1863 when he severed his links with Neilson & Co. Total output 4485 locomotives, mainly for export, although substantial numbers were acquired by British companies. In 1903 amalgamated with Neilson, Reid and Sharp Stewart to form North British Locomotive works. Atkins gives a very succinct account of how in 1876 Neilson was forced out of the firm which he founded and how he formed the Clyde Locomotive Company in Springburn which only built some thirty locomotives before being taken over by Sharp Stewart and becoming the Atlas Works. Atkins notes that North British had a huge capacity, but this was never fully utilised. The entrance of Beardmore into locomotive building following WW1 was a major blow. The firm failed to cope with the newer forms of traction. Lowe: 7pp on this major locomotive manufacturer. The Reid family: James Reid and his sons John, Hugh and Andrew Thomson made this a very large family business. See also William Lorimer..
It became North British Locomotive Co. in 1903. There was a notable television documentary about the firm and its products: Diamonds are for ever.
Atkins, [C.] Philip
The golden age of steam locomotive building. Penryn: Atlantic (in
association with NRM), 1999.128pp.
The development of locomotive manufacturing in the United Kingdom:
an illustrated history with an extensive bibliography. He is Librarian of
the NRM.
Bradley, Rodger P.
Giants of steam the full story of the North
British Locomotive Co. Ltd. Oxford Publishing. 1995.
198pp.
Foreword by Sir Hugh Reid, President of
the North British Locomotive Preservation Group. The company was formed in
1903 from several companies, the oldest of which was Sharp, Roberts &
Co., originally of Manchester, Neilson, and Dübs & Co. The extensive
tabulated data records the varied output for home and overseas railways.
The experimental Reid-Ramsay condensing turbine electric locomotive, and
the Reid-Ramsay-McLeod development from it are described at some length.
The design of the Royal Scot and B17 classes for the LMS and LNER
respectively is also described as is the experimental high pressure locomotive
Fury. The late and disappointing ventures in electric and diesel traction
is also discussed. The financial record is observed. The North British
Collection of photographs at the Mitchell Library in Glasgow is
mentioned.
Court, J.M. North British steam locomotives built 1857-1956 for railways
overseas. Truro: Bradford Barton, [1979].
112pp.
Ottley 10542
Court, J.M. North British steam locomotives built 1833 to1948 for railways
in Britain. Truro: Bradford Barton, [1979].
112pp.
Ottley 10545
Dewhurst, P.C. and Holcroft,
Harold. The Fairlie locomotive - Part 2. Later designs
and productions. Trans. Newcomen Soc., 1966, 39,
1-34.
Thomas, John. The Springburn
story. Dawlish: David & Charles, 1964.
Generally considered to be his best book., probably because of its
warm, Glaswegian folksy character as exemplified by an extract from some
of the early pages in the book.. The involvement of Walter Neilson receives
close attention
The somewhat messy development of the Reid (who supplied the capital and construction facilities)-Ramsay-McLeod turbine electric condensing locomotive, and the Armstrong-Whitworth locomotive of similar configuration together with the more successful Swedish Ljungström type evaluated on the LMS, and Stanier's proposed developments in the 1930s are described in: Robin Barnes' Condensed account - a short history of the steam turbine condensing loco. Backtrack 9 406-13 The part relating to the first-named should be read in assication with Bradley's History of the North British.See letter from Sweden (page 676) concerning Ljungström type
The MacLeod elemeent is described in Archive Issue 14 page 46
Bogie Steam Locomotives - Part 2. Railway Reflections [No.
43]. Michael Rutherford. 387-93.
Covers much ground: Reid-Ramsay Elctro-Turbo locomotive (NBL 19266/1910)
and as rebuilt with direct drive to design of
James MacLeod and exhibited at
Wembley Exhibition in 1924, the Shay type, the Garratt type and its devlopment
by Beyer Peacock, icluding the involvement of Samuel Jackson and W. Cyril
Williams, the Sentinel bogie locomotive developed for use in Colombia and
subjected to trials in Belgium in 1934 (see illus. for illustrious British
party) and letter from Geoff Hughes. ; illus.: William Francis Beyer
Garratt 0-4-4-0T at Baddesley Colliery (Beyer Peacock 6841/1937) on 1 March
1959 (T.J. Edgington); An express Garrett made for the Central of Aragon
railway by Euskalduna a; An express Garrett made for the Central of Aragon
railway now on the; No 4019. A GEA class Garratt; Columbia; Columbia; metre
gauge Bo-Bo bogie of Sentinel design for Colombia with Gresley, Bulleid,
James Clayton, Stanier and Hawksworth in Belgium; Leader cab; Bulleid
locomotive specially made to use peat as a fuel; John Click's impression
of a turf burner; A German design of 1952 featuring total adhesion power
bogies; See letter (page 520) by Geoffrey Hughes concerning
Sentinel locomotive and LNER
Macleod, James
Trans Instn Engrs Shipbuilers Scotland, 1929/30, 73, 49-108.