E. B. Wilson and Company
Encyclopedia
E.B.Wilson and Company was a locomotive manufacturing company at the Railway Foundry in Hunslet
, Leeds
, West Yorkshire
, England
.
. It was bought by James Fenton, formerly a partner in Fenton, Murray and Jackson
in 1846 and, for a while, was Fenton Craven and Company. The partnership with Craven ended and E.B.Wilson took over as E.B.Wilson and Company, retaining Fenton as Works Manager. Many of the maker's plates, however, retained the name "The Railway Foundry, Leeds."
was their Chief Draughtsman and was tasked with designing a new engine for the London and Brighton Railway
. Dissatisfied by the engines then current in Yorkshire
and having spent three weeks studying John Gray's at Brighton
, he produced a similar design. The first of these, in 1847, was named Jenny Lind
and was an immediate success. There is some controversy whether Fenton, Joy or even Wilson was responsible. Joy would appear to have produced the drawings, but Fenton would have had to
approve them, and the success of the engine undoubtedly owed much to the latter's boilers, which were working at the unprecedented pressure of 120psi. Over seventy were built, with twenty four going to the Midland Railway
.
and 0-6-0
and set out to standardise their designs. They charged a premium for any variations, although the size of the engines gradually became larger. The company also produced pumping engines, carriages and wagons. They also carried out maintenance work for the Midland Railway, their Derby works being then short of capacity, and built a few to customer's own designs, including one or two Crampton locomotive
s.
in 1860.
Hunslet
Hunslet is an inner-city area in south Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It is south east of the city centre and has an industrial past.Hunslet had many engineering companies based in the district, such as John Fowler & Co...
, Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
, 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...
.
Origins
When Todd left Todd, Kitson & Laird in 1838, he joined Shepherd in setting up the Railway Foundry as Shepherd and ToddShepherd and Todd
Shepherd and Todd was a railway engineering workshop at the Railway Foundry, off Pearson Street, in Hunslet, Leeds, West Yorkshire, EnglandCharles Todd had been a partner in Todd, Kitson & Laird but left to set up his own business in 1838, setting up the Railway Foundry with a Mr...
. It was bought by James Fenton, formerly a partner in Fenton, Murray and Jackson
Fenton, Murray and Jackson
Fenton, Murray and Jackson was an engineering company at the Round Foundry off Water Lane in Holbeck, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.-Fenton, Murray and Wood:...
in 1846 and, for a while, was Fenton Craven and Company. The partnership with Craven ended and E.B.Wilson took over as E.B.Wilson and Company, retaining Fenton as Works Manager. Many of the maker's plates, however, retained the name "The Railway Foundry, Leeds."
Expansion
The works was expanded with the intention of producing up to fifty engines a year. Fenton's boiler designs were particularly successful, and the company's products acquired a reputation for workmanship and reliability.David Joy
Originally an apprentice at Fenton, Murray and Jackson and later at Shepherd and Todd, David JoyDavid Joy
David Frederick Joy was a former professional footballer, who played for Huddersfield Town and York City.-References:*99 Years & Counting - Stats & Stories - Huddersfield Town History...
was their Chief Draughtsman and was tasked with designing a new engine for the 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...
. Dissatisfied by the engines then current in Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
and having spent three weeks studying John Gray's at Brighton
Brighton railway works
Brighton railway works was one of the earliest railway-owned locomotive repair works, founded in 1840 by the London and Brighton Railway in Brighton, England, and thus pre-dating the more famous railway works at Crewe, Doncaster and Swindon...
, he produced a similar design. The first of these, in 1847, was named Jenny Lind
Jenny Lind locomotive
The Jenny Lind locomotive was the first of a class of ten steam locomotives built in 1847 for the London Brighton and South Coast Railway by E. B. Wilson and Company of Leeds, named after Jenny Lind who was a famous opera singer of the period...
and was an immediate success. There is some controversy whether Fenton, Joy or even Wilson was responsible. Joy would appear to have produced the drawings, but Fenton would have had to
approve them, and the success of the engine undoubtedly owed much to the latter's boilers, which were working at the unprecedented pressure of 120psi. Over seventy were built, with twenty four going to the Midland Railway
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
.
Locomotive designs
Beside the "Jennies", E.B.Wilson also produced 2-4-02-4-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-4-0 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles, and no trailing wheels....
and 0-6-0
0-6-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels...
and set out to standardise their designs. They charged a premium for any variations, although the size of the engines gradually became larger. The company also produced pumping engines, carriages and wagons. They also carried out maintenance work for the Midland Railway, their Derby works being then short of capacity, and built a few to customer's own designs, including one or two Crampton locomotive
Crampton locomotive
A Crampton locomotive is a type of steam locomotive designed by Thomas Russell Crampton and built by various firms from 1846. The main British builders were Tulk and Ley and Robert Stephenson and Company....
s.
Closure
The company closed in 1858 having produced over six hundred engines. The Railway Foundry was refounded by W.S.Hudswell and John ClarkeHudswell Clarke
Hudswell, Clarke and Company Limited was an engineering and locomotive building company in Jack Lane, Hunslet, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.-History:...
in 1860.