Daniel Gooch
Encyclopedia
Sir Daniel Gooch, 1st Baronet (24 August 1816 – 15 October 1889) was an English railway and transatlantic cable engineer and Conservative
politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1865 to 1885. He was the first Superintendent of Locomotive Engines on the Great Western Railway
from 1837 to 1864 and its Chairman
from 1865 to 1889.
, Northumberland
, the son of John Gooch, an ironfounder, and his wife Anna Longridge. He trained in engineering with a variety of companies, including a period with Robert Stephenson
and Company, but was aged 21 when recruited by Isambard Kingdom Brunel
for the Great Western Railway, under the title "Superintendent of Locomotive Engines", taking office on 18 August 1837.
steam locomotive
s ordered by Brunel working. Taking the best of these, the GWR Star Class
(on which he and Brunel had improved the blastpipe
arrangement) as a model, he designed the GWR Firefly Class
of 2-2-2
express passenger locomotives introduced in 1840. In comparative trials by the Gauge Commissioners, Ixion of this class proved capable of speeds greater than its standard gauge
challenger. In 1843 Gooch introduced a new form of locomotive valve gear
.
In 1840, Gooch was responsible for identifying the site of Swindon Works
and in 1846 for designing the first complete locomotive to be constructed there, Great Western, prototype of the GWR Iron Duke Class
of 4-2-2
s which were able to achieve 70 miles per hour (112.7 km/h) and which, much renewed, saw out the broad gauge. Though Gooch's locomotives were principally for the broad gauge, between 1854 and 1864 he also had to design a number of standard gauge classes
for the GWR's new Northern Division. In 1864 Gooch resigned from his post of Locomotive Superintendent, though he continued as a member of the GWR Board.
in Windsor and was a Deputy Lieutenant
for Berkshire. In 1865, Gooch was recalled to the Great Western Railway Company as Chairman. He was also chief engineer of the Telegraph Construction Company. In this role, he was instrumental in laying the first successful Transatlantic telegraph cable
, using the SS Great Eastern
(1865/66).
for Cricklade
. He held the seat until 1885.
in recognition of his cable work. In 1868 he became chairman of the Telegraph Construction Company after John Pender
the first chairman resigned. He led the Great Western Railway out of near-bankruptcy and took a particular interest in construction of the Severn Tunnel
. Final abandonment of the broad gauge did not take place until after his death at the age of 73.
, Thomas Longridge Gooch
and William Frederick Gooch were also railway engineers.
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1865 to 1885. He was the first Superintendent of Locomotive Engines on the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
from 1837 to 1864 and its Chairman
Chair (official)
The chairman is the highest officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office is typically elected or appointed by the members of the group. The chairman presides over meetings of the assembled group and conducts its business in an...
from 1865 to 1889.
Early life
Gooch was born in BedlingtonBedlington
Bedlington is a town in Northumberland, to the north of the Tyne and Wear urban area. It lies north of Newcastle and southeast of the county town of Morpeth. Other nearby places include Ashington to the north northeast, Blyth to the east and Cramlington to the south.The parish of Bedlington...
, Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
, the son of John Gooch, an ironfounder, and his wife Anna Longridge. He trained in engineering with a variety of companies, including a period with Robert Stephenson
Robert Stephenson
Robert Stephenson FRS was an English civil engineer. He was the only son of George Stephenson, the famed locomotive builder and railway engineer; many of the achievements popularly credited to his father were actually the joint efforts of father and son.-Early life :He was born on the 16th of...
and Company, but was aged 21 when recruited by Isambard Kingdom 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...
for the Great Western Railway, under the title "Superintendent of Locomotive Engines", taking office on 18 August 1837.
Railway engineer
Gooch's earliest days with the company were a struggle to keep the miscellaneous collection of 7 foot broad gaugeBroad gauge
Broad-gauge railways use a track gauge greater than the standard gauge of .- List :For list see: List of broad gauges, by gauge and country- History :...
steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
s ordered by Brunel working. Taking the best of these, the GWR Star Class
GWR Star Class
The Great Western Railway Star Class of 2-2-2 broad gauge steam locomotives were used for passenger train work. Designed by Robert Stephenson, the class was introduced into service between November 1838 and November 1841, and withdrawn between April 1864 and September 1871.A total of twelve Star...
(on which he and Brunel had improved the blastpipe
Blastpipe
The blastpipe is part of the exhaust system of a steam locomotive that discharges exhaust steam from the cylinders into the smokebox beneath the chimney in order to increase the draught through the fire.- History :...
arrangement) as a model, he designed the GWR Firefly Class
GWR Firefly Class
The Firefly was a class of broad gauge 2-2-2 steam locomotives used for passenger services on the Great Western Railway. The class was introduced into service between March 1840 and December 1842, and withdrawn between December 1863 and July 1879....
of 2-2-2
Whyte notation
The Whyte notation for classifying steam locomotives by wheel arrangement was devised by Frederick Methvan Whyte and came into use in the early twentieth century encouraged by an editorial in American Engineer and Railroad Journal...
express passenger locomotives introduced in 1840. In comparative trials by the Gauge Commissioners, Ixion of this class proved capable of speeds greater than its standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
challenger. In 1843 Gooch introduced a new form of locomotive valve gear
Valve gear
The valve gear of a steam engine is the mechanism that operates the inlet and exhaust valves to admit steam into the cylinder and allow exhaust steam to escape, respectively, at the correct points in the cycle...
.
In 1840, Gooch was responsible for identifying the site of Swindon Works
Swindon Works
Swindon railway works were built by the Great Western Railway in 1841 in Swindon in the English county of Wiltshire.-History:In 1835 Parliament approved the construction of a railway between London and Bristol. Its Chief Engineer was Isambard Kingdom Brunel.From 1836, Brunel had been buying...
and in 1846 for designing the first complete locomotive to be constructed there, Great Western, prototype of the GWR Iron Duke Class
GWR Iron Duke Class
The Great Western Railway Iron Duke Class 4-2-2 was a class of broad gauge steam locomotives for express passenger train work.-History:The prototype locomotive, Great Western, was built as a 2-2-2 locomotive in April 1846, but was soon converted to a 4-2-2 arrangement...
of 4-2-2
Whyte notation
The Whyte notation for classifying steam locomotives by wheel arrangement was devised by Frederick Methvan Whyte and came into use in the early twentieth century encouraged by an editorial in American Engineer and Railroad Journal...
s which were able to achieve 70 miles per hour (112.7 km/h) and which, much renewed, saw out the broad gauge. Though Gooch's locomotives were principally for the broad gauge, between 1854 and 1864 he also had to design a number of standard gauge classes
Daniel Gooch standard gauge locomotives
The Daniel Gooch standard gauge locomotives comprise several classes of locomotives designed by Daniel Gooch, Superintendent of Locomotive Engines for the Great Western Railway from 1837 to 1864.-History:...
for the GWR's new Northern Division. In 1864 Gooch resigned from his post of Locomotive Superintendent, though he continued as a member of the GWR Board.
Cable engineer and other roles
From 1859 Gooch lived at Clewer ParkClewer Park
Clewer Park can be found within the village of Clewer to the west of Windsor in the United Kingdom. Today Clewer Park consists of a small estate of residential homes built during the mid 1950s and a public open parkland....
in Windsor and was a Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
for Berkshire. In 1865, Gooch was recalled to the Great Western Railway Company as Chairman. He was also chief engineer of the Telegraph Construction Company. In this role, he was instrumental in laying the first successful Transatlantic telegraph cable
Transatlantic telegraph cable
The transatlantic telegraph cable was the first cable used for telegraph communications laid across the floor of the Atlantic Ocean. It crossed from , Foilhommerum Bay, Valentia Island, in western Ireland to Heart's Content in eastern Newfoundland. The transatlantic cable connected North America...
, using the SS Great Eastern
SS Great Eastern
SS Great Eastern was an iron sailing steam ship designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, and built by J. Scott Russell & Co. at Millwall on the River Thames, London. She was by far the largest ship ever built at the time of her 1858 launch, and had the capacity to carry 4,000 passengers around the...
(1865/66).
Political career
In 1865, while out of the country laying the cable, Gooch was elected Conservative MPMember of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Cricklade
Cricklade
Cricklade is a town and civil parish on the River Thames in north Wiltshire in England, midway between Swindon and Cirencester.On 25 September 2011 Cricklade was awarded The Royal Horticultural Society's 'Champion of Champions' award in the Britain in Bloom competition.Cricklade is twinned with...
. He held the seat until 1885.
Later business activities
In 1866 Gooch was created a BaronetBaronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
in recognition of his cable work. In 1868 he became chairman of the Telegraph Construction Company after John Pender
John Pender
Sir John Pender , British Submarine communications cable pioneer, was born in the Vale of Leven, Scotland, and after attending school in Glasgow became a successful merchant in textile fabrics in that city and in Manchester; where he had a warehouse in Peter street near The Great Northern Warehouse...
the first chairman resigned. He led the Great Western Railway out of near-bankruptcy and took a particular interest in construction of the Severn Tunnel
Severn Tunnel
The Severn Tunnel is a railway tunnel in the United Kingdom, linking South Gloucestershire in the west of England to Monmouthshire in south Wales under the estuary of the River Severn....
. Final abandonment of the broad gauge did not take place until after his death at the age of 73.
Family
Gooch married Margaret Tanner in 1838. Following her death in 1868 he married Emily Burder in 1870; she died in 1901. His brothers John Viret GoochJohn Viret Gooch
John Viret Gooch was the locomotive superintendent of the London and South Western Railway from 1841 to 1850. He was the brother of Sir Daniel Gooch, 1st Baronet , who was the first Locomotive Superintendent of the Great Western Railway from 1837 to 1864 and its Chairman from 1865 to...
, Thomas Longridge Gooch
Thomas Longridge Gooch
Thomas Longridge Gooch was civil engineer of the Manchester and Leeds Railway from 1831 to 1844.-Biography:...
and William Frederick Gooch were also railway engineers.