Professor William Ernest Dalby

According to Obituary in Proc. Instn Mech. Engrs., 1936, 130, 547 Dalby had been an engineering apprentice from the age of fourteen at Stratford Works under W. Adams. He was born in 1862.. In 1883 he was awarded a Whitworth Scholarship. In 1884 he moved to Crewe Works as chief assistant to H. Bridgewater, head of the permanent way department, under whom he brought out new designs for all types of points and crossovers in use. He was also responsible for the maintenance of the company’s three creosoting and chair-fixing works. Whilst holding this position he graduated at the University of London.
In 1891 he was appointed assistant to Professor Ewing, who was establishing an engineering department at Cambridge University. For his work in this connection, Professor Dalby was in 1894 awarded the degree of M.A. honoris causa by the University. Two years later he was appointed Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mathematics at the City and Guilds Technical College at Finsbury, a position which he held until 1904, when the University of London appointed him Professor of Engineering at the Central Technical College, now known as the City and Guilds Engineering College. In 1906 he also became Dean of the College. His teaching was marked by close attention to the practical side, and he was frequently consulted by railway companies on problems connected with locomotive balancing and the resistance of trains. He was a member of the Bridge Stress Committee instituted in 1923 by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, and contributed one of the appendixes to the report, dealing with the hammer blow of locomotives.
Dalby is an extraordinary omission from the ODNB. His bibliography, notably on locomotive balancing is extensive (BLPC), and he was Nock's professor whilst he was at College. Dalby's style was severe and demanding of both staff and students, but he was highly respected in the College and by the wider engineering and educational community (Imperial College Centenary website). He retired due to ill health in 1931 and died at his home in Ealing on 25 June 1936 (Who Was Who). He was an FRS from 1913: presumably there must be a memoir.. (Nature obituary)..

The balancing of engines. London, Edward Arnold, 4th ed. 1929.
The indicator as an aid to economy. Proc. Instn Mech. Engrs., 1920, 101, 681-2. Disc.: 681-4.

2009-04-25