Charles Blacker Vignoles
Encyclopedia
Charles Blacker Vignoles (31 May 1793 – 17 November 1875) was an influential early railway engineer, and eponym of the Vignoles rail.
, Ireland
. Having been orphaned when very young, he was brought to England
and raised by his grandfather, Professor of Mathematics at the Woolwich Royal Military Academy. He trained in mathematics and law and was articled to a proctor
in Doctors' Commons
. However he decided to give up the practice of law and left home in 1813.
on half pay from the age of eighteen months. He entered Sandhurst
as the private pupil of Thomas Leybourn, one of the lecturers who was also guardian of Mary Griffiths. Charles and she became engaged in secret and later married.
In 1814 gained a commission in the Royal Scots regiment, serving at Bergen op Zoom
and then in Canada
. He was promoted to lieutenant
in 1815 and, after a spell in Scotland
became aide-de-camp at Valenciennes
to General Sir Thomas Brisbane under the command of Wellington
following the Peninsular War
.
He returned to England and married Mary at Alverstoke
in Hampshire
on the 13 July 1817 and then set sail for America. Originally intending to serve under Simón Bolívar
, he became an assistant to the state civil engineer at Charleston
in South Carolina
. In 1821 he became the city surveyor for St Augustine, Florida, and in 1823 published a map of Florida
and a book Observations on the Floridas.
However his financial problems were severe and in 1823 he returned to Britain
when his grandfather died.
who was the engineer for the London Commercial Docks
. He also wrote articles for the Encyclopaedia Metropolitana
. He then opened an office of his own in Hatton Garden, employing three assistants.
In 1825 he was invited by the Rennies
, to survey the proposed London and Brighton Railway
and the initial surveys for the Liverpool and Manchester Railway
- the latter after Parliament's rejection of George Stephenson
's initial scheme.
Vignoles moved to Liverpool for the next fifteen years. The combination of his surveying experience and his initial training in the law enabled him to present the case for new lines clearly in Parliament and following the acceptance of the revised bill for the Liverpool and Manchester Railway it continued to bring him work.
However, the board of the L&M were unable to agree terms with the Rennies and George Stephenson
took over. Vignoles resigned in 1827 after a disagreement with Stephenson, who in any case distrusted civil engineers, over the measurements for Edgehill Tunnel
. However Vignoles remained engineer for two connecting railways: the Wigan Branch Railway (1832) and the St Helens and Runcorn Gap Railway
(1833). The latter was one of the first instances where two conflicting lines used a bridge rather than a level crossing.
Prior to this, in 1826, Marc Brunel
offered him a post as resident engineer for the Thames Tunnel
but then withdrew it in favour of his son Isambard Brunel
. Vignoles then went to the Isle of Man on behalf for the government to survey property. after which he was invited by Brunel to assist in straightening out the Oxford Canal
. At this time all work had ceased on the Thames Tunnel due to repeated flooding and lack of finances. Vignoles' criticisms led to a falling out, and in 1830 his alternative suggestion were rejected.
In 1829 he assisted John Braithwaite and John Ericsson
with the Novelty
at the Rainhill Trials
. He continued to work with Ericsson and in 1830 they patented a method of ascending steep inclines on railways. (no. 5995).
which then was wholly part of the United Kingdom
. This included Ireland's first, the Dublin and Kingstown, (the latter town and ferry port is now called Dun Laoghaire)
(1832–34), initially built to the standard English gauge of 4 ft 8 1/2" and the later extension the Kingstown and Dalkey railway was built as an atmospheric railway, and between 1836 and 1838 he was engineer to the royal commission on railways in Ireland.
He had possibly been associated with Stephenson in initial work for a proposed Sheffield and Manchester Railway but by the time the prospectus was issued in 1830 they had parted company. In the event the scheme foundered because of the severity of the proposed route via Whaley Bridge
and over Rushop Edge into the Hope Valley
.
He was however retained in 1835 to survey the scheme which followed it, the Sheffield, Ashton-Under-Lyne and Manchester Railway
(later: Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway
) including the original Woodhead Tunnel
. For this he experimented with a steam boring machine. However there were difficulties with his in his relationship with the directors and contract, and his remuneration, so he resigned in 1839 before work was started.
Meanwhile he surveyed the Midland Counties Railway
linking Nottingham
, Derby
and Leicester
with Rugby
, opened in 1839
s, and gave advice to the planned lines of the Royal Württemberg State Railways
(now part of the German railways) (1843). His fortunes improved with the Railway Mania
of 1844-46.
He was the engineer for the Dalkey Atmospheric Railway
which opened in 1843.
In 1846 he was employed to construct the Nicholas Chain Bridge
in Kiev
over the Dnieper River
(then: Russian Empire
, today: Ukraine
) between 1847 and 1853, with four main spans, overall half a mile long, at that time the largest of its kind in Europe. From 1847 until 1853 when the bridge was completed, he lived in Ukraine.
However he returned to England on frequent occasions. His first wife Mary had died in 1834 and in 1849 he married Margaret Hodge at St Martin-in-the-Fields
.
(1855–64). However most of his work are however was abroad with such lines as the Frankfurt, Wiesbaden, and Cologne Railway and the Western Railway
in Switzerland
;
Other work included that for the Wiesbadener Eisenbahngesellschaft in the Duchy of Nassau
1853–1856 building the Nassauische Rheintalbahn from Wiesbaden
to Oberlahnstein
.
Between 1857 and 1864 he was engineer for the Tudela
& Bilbao
Railway in Spain
. Finally, in 1860 the Bahia and San Francisco Railway in Brazil
;
Vignoles retired in 1863 moving to Hythe
, near Southampton
in 1867.
Returning from a visit to London, he suffered a stroke and died on 17 November 1875. He was buried in Brompton Cemetery
, London
, on 23 November.
He left five children from his first marriage. Three became engineers — Charles Francis Fernando, Hutton, and Henry, although mental problems forced Charles to retire early. Another son, Olinthus John, became a minister of the Church of England and wrote a biography of his father, published in 1889.
, of a flat bottomed rail, first invented by the American, R.L.Stevens
in 1830 (but rolled in British steel works), with which his name has become associated as Vignoles rail. It became popular on the continent, becoming known as Vignoles rail, but was not used widely in the Britain and Ireland until the 20th century.
in 1827, and its 15th President in 1869. He became a fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society on 9 January 1829.
In 1841, he had become the first Professor of Civil Engineering at University College, London and in 1855 was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society
and published Observations on the Floridas (1823, with valuable map).
In 1855 he was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society
. He was also a founder member of the Photographic Society of London, served in 1855 as a member of the royal commission on the Ordnance Survey
, and was connected with the Royal Irish Academy
and the Royal Institution
.
Early life
He was born at Woodbrook, County WexfordCounty Wexford
County Wexford is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wexford. In pre-Norman times it was part of the Kingdom of Uí Cheinnselaig, whose capital was at Ferns. Wexford County Council is the local...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. Having been orphaned when very young, he was brought to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and raised by his grandfather, Professor of Mathematics at the Woolwich Royal Military Academy. He trained in mathematics and law and was articled to a proctor
Proctor
Proctor, a variant of the word procurator, is a person who takes charge of, or acts for, another. The word proctor is frequently used to describe someone who oversees an exam or dormitory.The title is used in England in three principal senses:...
in Doctors' Commons
Doctors' Commons
Doctors' Commons, also called the College of Civilians, was a society of lawyers practising civil law in London. Like the Inns of Court of the common lawyers, the society had buildings with rooms where its members lived and worked, and a large library...
. However he decided to give up the practice of law and left home in 1813.
Army career
Because his parents died while his father was a serving officer, he had been gazetted as an ensignEnsign
An ensign is a national flag when used at sea, in vexillology, or a distinguishing token, emblem, or badge, such as a symbol of office in heraldry...
on half pay from the age of eighteen months. He entered Sandhurst
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
as the private pupil of Thomas Leybourn, one of the lecturers who was also guardian of Mary Griffiths. Charles and she became engaged in secret and later married.
In 1814 gained a commission in the Royal Scots regiment, serving at Bergen op Zoom
Bergen op Zoom
Bergen op Zoom is a municipality and a city located in the south of the Netherlands.-History:Bergen op Zoom was granted city status probably in 1266. In 1287 the city and its surroundings became a lordship as it was separated from the lordship of Breda. The lordship was elevated to a margraviate...
and then in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He was promoted to lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in 1815 and, after a spell in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
became aide-de-camp at Valenciennes
Valenciennes
Valenciennes is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.It lies on the Scheldt river. Although the city and region had seen a steady decline between 1975 and 1990, it has since rebounded...
to General Sir Thomas Brisbane under the command of Wellington
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century...
following the Peninsular War
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War was a war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The war began when French and Spanish armies crossed Spain and invaded Portugal in 1807. Then, in 1808, France turned on its...
.
Other employment
The war being over, he was put on half pay in 1816 and needed alternative employment, although he did not formally resign his commission until 1833He returned to England and married Mary at Alverstoke
Alverstoke
Alverstoke is a parish in the borough of Gosport, Hampshire, England, that encompasses land stretching from Haslar to Stokes Bay. Alverstoke lies within half a mile of the shore of Stokes Bay and near the head of a creek which extends a mile westward from Portsmouth Harbour...
in Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
on the 13 July 1817 and then set sail for America. Originally intending to serve under Simón Bolívar
Simón Bolívar
Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios Ponte y Yeiter, commonly known as Simón Bolívar was a Venezuelan military and political leader...
, he became an assistant to the state civil engineer at Charleston
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
in South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
. In 1821 he became the city surveyor for St Augustine, Florida, and in 1823 published a map of Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
and a book Observations on the Floridas.
However his financial problems were severe and in 1823 he returned to Britain
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
when his grandfather died.
1820s
He found work as a surveyor with James WalkerJames Walker (engineer)
James Walker, FRS, was an influential Scottish civil engineer of the first half of the 19th century.Walker was born in Falkirk and was apprenticed to his uncle Ralph Walker in approximately 1800, with whom he gained experience working on the design and construction of the West India and East India...
who was the engineer for the London Commercial Docks
Surrey Commercial Docks
The Surrey Commercial Docks were a large group of docks in Rotherhithe on the south bank of the Thames in South East London. The docks operated in one form or another from 1696 to 1969...
. He also wrote articles for the Encyclopaedia Metropolitana
Encyclopaedia Metropolitana
The Encyclopædia Metropolitana was an encyclopedic work published in London, from 1817 to 1845, by part publication. In all it came to quarto, 30 vols., having been issued in 59 parts .-Origins:...
. He then opened an office of his own in Hatton Garden, employing three assistants.
In 1825 he was invited by the Rennies
George Rennie (engineer)
George Rennie was an engineer born in London, England. He was the son of the Scottish engineer John Rennie and the brother of Sir John Rennie.-Early life:...
, to survey the proposed London and Brighton Railway
London and Brighton Railway
The London and Brighton Railway was a railway company in England which was incorporated in 1837 and survived until 1846. Its railway runs from a junction with the London & Croydon Railway at Norwood - which gives it access from London Bridge, just south of the River Thames in central London...
and the initial surveys for the Liverpool and Manchester Railway
Liverpool and Manchester Railway
The Liverpool and Manchester Railway was the world's first inter-city passenger railway in which all the trains were timetabled and were hauled for most of the distance solely by steam locomotives. The line opened on 15 September 1830 and ran between the cities of Liverpool and Manchester in North...
- the latter after Parliament's rejection of George Stephenson
George Stephenson
George Stephenson was an English civil engineer and mechanical engineer who built the first public railway line in the world to use steam locomotives...
's initial scheme.
Vignoles moved to Liverpool for the next fifteen years. The combination of his surveying experience and his initial training in the law enabled him to present the case for new lines clearly in Parliament and following the acceptance of the revised bill for the Liverpool and Manchester Railway it continued to bring him work.
However, the board of the L&M were unable to agree terms with the Rennies and George Stephenson
George Stephenson
George Stephenson was an English civil engineer and mechanical engineer who built the first public railway line in the world to use steam locomotives...
took over. Vignoles resigned in 1827 after a disagreement with Stephenson, who in any case distrusted civil engineers, over the measurements for Edgehill Tunnel
Wapping Tunnel
Wapping or Edge Hill Tunnel in Liverpool, England, was constructed to enable goods services to operate between Liverpool docks and Manchester, and all points between, as part of the planned Liverpool and Manchester Railway. It was the first tunnel in the world to be bored under a metropolis...
. However Vignoles remained engineer for two connecting railways: the Wigan Branch Railway (1832) and the St Helens and Runcorn Gap Railway
St Helens and Runcorn Gap Railway
St Helens and Runcorn Gap Railway, later known as St Helens Railway, was an early railway company in Lancashire, England, which opened in 1833. It ran originally from the town of St Helens to the area which would later develop into the town of Widnes. Branches were opened to Garston, Warrington...
(1833). The latter was one of the first instances where two conflicting lines used a bridge rather than a level crossing.
Prior to this, in 1826, Marc Brunel
Marc Isambard Brunel
Sir Marc Isambard Brunel, FRS FRSE was a French-born engineer who settled in England. He preferred the name Isambard, but is generally known to history as Marc to avoid confusion with his more famous son Isambard Kingdom Brunel...
offered him a post as resident engineer for the Thames Tunnel
Thames Tunnel
The Thames Tunnel is an underwater tunnel, built beneath the River Thames in London, United Kingdom, connecting Rotherhithe and Wapping. It measures 35 feet wide by 20 feet high and is 1,300 feet long, running at a depth of 75 feet below the river's surface...
but then withdrew it in favour of his son Isambard Brunel
Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Isambard Kingdom Brunel, FRS , was a British civil engineer who built bridges and dockyards including the construction of the first major British railway, the Great Western Railway; a series of steamships, including the first propeller-driven transatlantic steamship; and numerous important bridges...
. Vignoles then went to the Isle of Man on behalf for the government to survey property. after which he was invited by Brunel to assist in straightening out the Oxford Canal
Oxford Canal
The Oxford Canal is a narrow canal in central England linking Oxford with Coventry via Banbury and Rugby. It connects with the River Thames at Oxford, to the Grand Union Canal at the villages of Braunston and Napton-on-the-Hill, and to the Coventry Canal at Hawkesbury Junction in Bedworth just...
. At this time all work had ceased on the Thames Tunnel due to repeated flooding and lack of finances. Vignoles' criticisms led to a falling out, and in 1830 his alternative suggestion were rejected.
In 1829 he assisted John Braithwaite and John Ericsson
John Ericsson
John Ericsson was a Swedish-American inventor and mechanical engineer, as was his brother Nils Ericson. He was born at Långbanshyttan in Värmland, Sweden, but primarily came to be active in England and the United States...
with the Novelty
Novelty (locomotive)
Novelty was an early steam locomotive built by John Ericsson and John Braithwaite to take part in the Rainhill Trials in 1829.It was an 0-2-2WT locomotive and is now regarded as the very first tank engine. It had a unique design of boiler and a number of other novel design features...
at the Rainhill Trials
Rainhill Trials
The Rainhill Trials were an important competition in the early days of steam locomotive railways, run in October 1829 in Rainhill, Lancashire for the nearly completed Liverpool and Manchester Railway....
. He continued to work with Ericsson and in 1830 they patented a method of ascending steep inclines on railways. (no. 5995).
1830s
The experience led to larger projects, including new railways in IrelandIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
which then was wholly part of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. This included Ireland's first, the Dublin and Kingstown, (the latter town and ferry port is now called Dun Laoghaire)
Dublin and Kingstown Railway
The Dublin and Kingstown Railway , which opened in 1834, was Ireland’s first railway. It linked Westland Row in Dublin with Kingstown Harbour’s West Pier in County Dublin.-History:...
(1832–34), initially built to the standard English gauge of 4 ft 8 1/2" and the later extension the Kingstown and Dalkey railway was built as an atmospheric railway, and between 1836 and 1838 he was engineer to the royal commission on railways in Ireland.
He had possibly been associated with Stephenson in initial work for a proposed Sheffield and Manchester Railway but by the time the prospectus was issued in 1830 they had parted company. In the event the scheme foundered because of the severity of the proposed route via Whaley Bridge
Whaley Bridge
Whaley Bridge is a small town and civil parish in the High Peak district of Derbyshire, England, situated on the River Goyt. Whaley Bridge is approximately south of Manchester, north of Buxton , east of Macclesfield and west of Sheffield, and had a population of 6,226 at the 2001 census. This...
and over Rushop Edge into the Hope Valley
Hope Valley
Hope Valley could refer to:*The Hope Valley, Derbyshire*The Hope Valley, Shropshire*Hope Valley, Rhode Island, a village*Hope Valley, Western Australia, a suburb of Perth*Hope Valley, South Australia, a suburb of Adelaide...
.
He was however retained in 1835 to survey the scheme which followed it, the Sheffield, Ashton-Under-Lyne and Manchester Railway
Sheffield, Ashton-Under-Lyne and Manchester Railway
The Sheffield, Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester Railway was an early British railway company which opened in stages between 1841 and 1845 between Sheffield and Manchester via Ashton-under-Lyne...
(later: Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway
Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway
The Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway was formed by amalgamation in 1847. The MS&LR changed its name to the Great Central Railway in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension.-Origin:...
) including the original Woodhead Tunnel
Woodhead Tunnel
The Woodhead Tunnels are three parallel trans-Pennine 3-mile long railway tunnels on the Woodhead Line, a former major rail link from Manchester to Sheffield in northern England...
. For this he experimented with a steam boring machine. However there were difficulties with his in his relationship with the directors and contract, and his remuneration, so he resigned in 1839 before work was started.
Meanwhile he surveyed the Midland Counties Railway
Midland Counties Railway
The Midland Counties Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom which existed between 1832 and 1844, connecting Nottingham, Leicester and Derby with Rugby and thence, via the London and Birmingham Railway, to London. The MCR system connected with the North Midland Railway and the...
linking Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
, Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
and Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
with Rugby
Rugby, Warwickshire
Rugby is a market town in Warwickshire, England, located on the River Avon. The town has a population of 61,988 making it the second largest town in the county...
, opened in 1839
1840s
The early years of the decade were difficult. He became professor of civil engineering at University College, London. He advocated and built atmospheric railwayAtmospheric railway
An atmospheric railway uses air pressure to provide power for propulsion. In one plan a pneumatic tube is laid between the rails, with a piston running in it suspended from the train through a sealable slot in the top of the tube. Alternatively, the whole tunnel may be the pneumatic tube with the...
s, and gave advice to the planned lines of the Royal Württemberg State Railways
Royal Württemberg State Railways
The Royal Württemberg State Railways were the state railways of the Kingdom of Württemberg between 1843 and 1920...
(now part of the German railways) (1843). His fortunes improved with the Railway Mania
Railway Mania
The Railway Mania was an instance of speculative frenzy in Britain in the 1840s. It followed a common pattern: as the price of railway shares increased, more and more money was poured in by speculators, until the inevitable collapse...
of 1844-46.
He was the engineer for the Dalkey Atmospheric Railway
Dalkey Atmospheric Railway
The Dalkey Atmospheric Railway was an extension of the Dublin and Kingstown Railway to Atmospheric Road in Dalkey, Co. Dublin, Ireland. It used part of the Dalkey Quarry industrial tramway, which was earlier used for the construction of Kingstown Harbour...
which opened in 1843.
In 1846 he was employed to construct the Nicholas Chain Bridge
Nicholas Chain Bridge
The Nicholas Chain Bridge was a bridge over the Dnieper that existed from 1855 to 1920 in Kiev.The bridge was designed by Irish engineer Charles Blacker Vignoles. Construction started in 1848 and was completed in 1855...
in Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
over the Dnieper River
Dnieper River
The Dnieper River is one of the major rivers of Europe that flows from Russia, through Belarus and Ukraine, to the Black Sea.The total length is and has a drainage basin of .The river is noted for its dams and hydroelectric stations...
(then: Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
, today: Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
) between 1847 and 1853, with four main spans, overall half a mile long, at that time the largest of its kind in Europe. From 1847 until 1853 when the bridge was completed, he lived in Ukraine.
However he returned to England on frequent occasions. His first wife Mary had died in 1834 and in 1849 he married Margaret Hodge at St Martin-in-the-Fields
St Martin-in-the-Fields
St Martin-in-the-Fields is an Anglican church at the north-east corner of Trafalgar Square in the City of Westminster, London. Its patron is Saint Martin of Tours.-Roman era:Excavations at the site in 2006 led to the discovery of a grave dated about 410...
.
1850s
After his stay in the Ukraine, he was involved in some English projects such as the London, Chatham and Dover RailwayLondon, Chatham and Dover Railway
The London, Chatham and Dover Railway was a railway company in south-eastern England from 1859 until the 1923 grouping which united it with other companies to form the Southern Railway. Its lines ran through London and northern and eastern Kent to form a significant part of the Greater London...
(1855–64). However most of his work are however was abroad with such lines as the Frankfurt, Wiesbaden, and Cologne Railway and the Western Railway
Austrian Western Railway
The Empress Elisabeth Railway was the name of a former railway company during the time of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. Today, the term is still used to refer to the railway lines that were formerly operated by that company....
in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
;
Other work included that for the Wiesbadener Eisenbahngesellschaft in the Duchy of Nassau
Nassau (state)
Nassau was a German state within the Holy Roman Empire and later in the German Confederation. Its ruling dynasty, now extinct in male line, was the House of Nassau.-Origins:...
1853–1856 building the Nassauische Rheintalbahn from Wiesbaden
Wiesbaden
Wiesbaden is a city in southwest Germany and the capital of the federal state of Hesse. It has about 275,400 inhabitants, plus approximately 10,000 United States citizens...
to Oberlahnstein
Oberlahnstein
Oberlahnstein is a part of the city of Lahnstein in Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany. It lies on the right bank of the Rhine, at the confluence of the Lahn 4 m. above Koblenz, on the Right Rhine railway from Cologne to Frankfurt-on-Main...
.
Between 1857 and 1864 he was engineer for the Tudela
Tudela, Navarre
Tudela is a municipality in Spain, the second city of the autonomous community of Navarre. Its population is around 35,000. Tudela is sited in the Ebro valley. Fast trains running on two-track electrified railways serve the city and two freeways join close to it...
& Bilbao
Bilbao
Bilbao ) is a Spanish municipality, capital of the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country. With a population of 353,187 , it is the largest city of its autonomous community and the tenth largest in Spain...
Railway in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. Finally, in 1860 the Bahia and San Francisco Railway in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
;
Later life
Hythe, Hampshire
Hythe is a village near Southampton, Hampshire, England. It is located by the shore of Southampton Water, and has a ferry service connecting it to Southampton...
, near Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
in 1867.
Returning from a visit to London, he suffered a stroke and died on 17 November 1875. He was buried in Brompton Cemetery
Brompton Cemetery
Brompton Cemetery is located near Earl's Court in South West London, England . It is managed by The Royal Parks and is one of the Magnificent Seven...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, on 23 November.
He left five children from his first marriage. Three became engineers — Charles Francis Fernando, Hutton, and Henry, although mental problems forced Charles to retire early. Another son, Olinthus John, became a minister of the Church of England and wrote a biography of his father, published in 1889.
Vignoles rail
In 1836 he suggested the use, on the London and Croydon RailwayLondon and Croydon Railway
The London and Croydon Railway was an early railway which operated between London and Croydon in England. It was opened in 1839 and in July 1846 it merged with other railways to form a part of the London Brighton and South Coast Railway ....
, of a flat bottomed rail, first invented by the American, R.L.Stevens
Robert Livingston Stevens
Colonel Robert Livingston Stevens was the son of Colonel John Stevens. In 1807, the father and son built the Phœnix, a steamship which became the first steamship to navigate the ocean successfully when she traveled from New York City to the Delaware River in 1809...
in 1830 (but rolled in British steel works), with which his name has become associated as Vignoles rail. It became popular on the continent, becoming known as Vignoles rail, but was not used widely in the Britain and Ireland until the 20th century.
Honours
He became a Member of the Institution of Civil EngineersInstitution of Civil Engineers
Founded on 2 January 1818, the Institution of Civil Engineers is an independent professional association, based in central London, representing civil engineering. Like its early membership, the majority of its current members are British engineers, but it also has members in more than 150...
in 1827, and its 15th President in 1869. He became a fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society on 9 January 1829.
In 1841, he had become the first Professor of Civil Engineering at University College, London and in 1855 was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
and published Observations on the Floridas (1823, with valuable map).
In 1855 he was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
. He was also a founder member of the Photographic Society of London, served in 1855 as a member of the royal commission on the Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey , an executive agency and non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom, is the national mapping agency for Great Britain, producing maps of Great Britain , and one of the world's largest producers of maps.The name reflects its creation together with...
, and was connected with the Royal Irish Academy
Royal Irish Academy
The Royal Irish Academy , based in Dublin, is an all-Ireland, independent, academic body that promotes study and excellence in the sciences, humanities and social sciences. It is one of Ireland's premier learned societies and cultural institutions and currently has around 420 Members, elected in...
and the Royal Institution
Royal Institution
The Royal Institution of Great Britain is an organization devoted to scientific education and research, based in London.-Overview:...
.