Henry Deane (engineer)
Encyclopedia
Henry Deane was an Australia
n engineer, responsible for electrifying the Sydney
tramway system and for building the Wolgan Valley Railway and Trans-Australian Railway
.
, England
, the son of Henry Deane, a chemist and fellow of the Linnean Society of London
, and his wife Jemima, née Elliott. Deane was schooled in England, matriculating in 1862, then studied at Queen's College, Galway (Now the National University of Ireland, Galway), where graduated B.A. in 1865 and M.A. in 1882 with honours in mathematics and natural science. Deane also studied engineering for two years and obtained his diploma at King's College London
as an occasional student.
After two years in the office of Sir John Fowler
at London, Deane was engaged by Waring Brothers
from 1869 to 1871 on the Hungarian
railways, and from 1871 to 1873 was chief technical assistant at the shipbuilding works of the Danube Steam Navigation Company, Altofen, Hungary. In 1875, Deane returned to England where he was engaged in roof and bridge designs as well as survey work. In 1879, he moved to the Philippines
where he worked on sugar-works. He returned to England but left for Australia at the end of 1879, arriving in Sydney in January 1880 on the Kent.
In Sydney, Deane joined the New South Wales Government Railways
as a railway surveyor. He was initially involved in the trial survey of the northern line between the Hawkesbury River
and Ourimbah. In 1881, Deane was appointed District Engineer on the Gunnedah to Narrabri line. In 1883, he was District Engineer on the Homebush to Hawkesbury line. In July 1886, he became Inspecting Engineer. In June 1889, he became Acting Engineer-in-Chief and then Engineer-in-Chief in 1890. In 1894 and again in 1904, he made world trips studying light railways and tramway systems. From July 1899, his role expanded to include tramway construction and he took a leading part in inaugurating the Sydney electric tramway system.
One of his significant advances was the introduction of pioneer standards that lowered construction costs on low-traffic country lines.
In April 1906, he became a consultant to the Commonwealth Oil Corporation and oversaw the survey and construction of the Wolgan Valley Railway. One of his significant innovations was the use of 1 in 25 (4%) grades and 5 chain (100m) curves on a standard gauge
railway and with the use of Shay locomotive
s.
On 25 March 1908, he was appointed consulting engineer to the Commonwealth Government in connection with the survey of the transcontinental railway between Port Augusta
and Kalgoorlie. He had been closely associated with the transcontinental railway since 1903 when he represented New South Wales as chairman of a conference of Engineers-in-Chief on that matter. In 1910 he became engineer-in-chief and supervised the construction of a large portion of this railway.
Deane was also consulted on the issue of solving the national break of gauge problem. For example, he was put in charge of the third rail experiments at Tocumwal in 1915, and especially the Brennan switch
es.
He retired from Commonwealth Railways
in April 1914 and then practised as a consulting engineer at Melbourne
.
. He was twice married (in 1873 and 1890) and left a widow, three sons and three daughters. He was a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers
and of several learned societies. He was twice president of the Royal Society of New South Wales
and for two years was president of the Linnean Society of New South Wales
.
In conjunction with Joseph Maiden
, Deane published a series of papers on native timber
s, and wrote frequently on forestry
and botanical
subjects. Eucalyptus deanei
was named after him. His work on tertiary fossil botany was particularly valuable, and gave him a high reputation among the geologist
s of his time.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n engineer, responsible for electrifying the Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
tramway system and for building the Wolgan Valley Railway and Trans-Australian Railway
Trans-Australian Railway
The Trans-Australian Railway crosses the Nullarbor Plain of Australia from Port Augusta in South Australia to Kalgoorlie in Western Australia...
.
Biography
Deane was born at Clapham CommonClapham Common
Clapham Common is an 89 hectare triangular area of grassland situated in south London, England. It was historically common land for the parishes of Battersea and Clapham, but was converted to parkland under the terms of the Metropolitan Commons Act 1878.43 hectares of the common are within the...
, 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...
, the son of Henry Deane, a chemist and fellow of the Linnean Society of London
Linnean Society of London
The Linnean Society of London is the world's premier society for the study and dissemination of taxonomy and natural history. It publishes a zoological journal, as well as botanical and biological journals...
, and his wife Jemima, née Elliott. Deane was schooled in England, matriculating in 1862, then studied at Queen's College, Galway (Now the National University of Ireland, Galway), where graduated B.A. in 1865 and M.A. in 1882 with honours in mathematics and natural science. Deane also studied engineering for two years and obtained his diploma at King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
as an occasional student.
After two years in the office of Sir John Fowler
John Fowler
John Fowler was a Jeffersonian Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from the state of Kentucky in the United States Congress....
at London, Deane was engaged by Waring Brothers
Waring Brothers
Waring Brothers was a British company specialising in railway structures.-History:The Company was founded by Charles Waring, William Waring and Henry Waring in 1841 in York as a civil engineering business....
from 1869 to 1871 on the Hungarian
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
railways, and from 1871 to 1873 was chief technical assistant at the shipbuilding works of the Danube Steam Navigation Company, Altofen, Hungary. In 1875, Deane returned to England where he was engaged in roof and bridge designs as well as survey work. In 1879, he moved to the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
where he worked on sugar-works. He returned to England but left for Australia at the end of 1879, arriving in Sydney in January 1880 on the Kent.
In Sydney, Deane joined the New South Wales Government Railways
New South Wales Government Railways
The New South Wales Government Railways was the government department that operated the New South Wales Government's railways until the establishment of the Public Transport Commission in 1972. Although later known officially as the Department of Railways, New South Wales, it was still generally...
as a railway surveyor. He was initially involved in the trial survey of the northern line between the Hawkesbury River
Hawkesbury River
The Hawkesbury River, also known as Deerubbun, is one of the major rivers of the coastal region of New South Wales, Australia. The Hawkesbury River and its tributaries virtually encircle the metropolitan region of Sydney.-Geography:-Course:...
and Ourimbah. In 1881, Deane was appointed District Engineer on the Gunnedah to Narrabri line. In 1883, he was District Engineer on the Homebush to Hawkesbury line. In July 1886, he became Inspecting Engineer. In June 1889, he became Acting Engineer-in-Chief and then Engineer-in-Chief in 1890. In 1894 and again in 1904, he made world trips studying light railways and tramway systems. From July 1899, his role expanded to include tramway construction and he took a leading part in inaugurating the Sydney electric tramway system.
One of his significant advances was the introduction of pioneer standards that lowered construction costs on low-traffic country lines.
Second career
In 1905, the railway construction branch was abolished and Deane retired from the New South Wales railways.In April 1906, he became a consultant to the Commonwealth Oil Corporation and oversaw the survey and construction of the Wolgan Valley Railway. One of his significant innovations was the use of 1 in 25 (4%) grades and 5 chain (100m) curves on a 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...
railway and with the use of Shay locomotive
Shay locomotive
The Shay locomotive was the most widely used geared steam locomotive. The locomotives were built to the patents of Ephraim Shay, who has been credited with the popularization of the concept of a geared steam locomotive...
s.
On 25 March 1908, he was appointed consulting engineer to the Commonwealth Government in connection with the survey of the transcontinental railway between Port Augusta
Port Augusta, South Australia
-Electricity generation:Electricity is generated at the Playford B and Northern power stations from brown coal mined at Leigh Creek, 250 km to the north...
and Kalgoorlie. He had been closely associated with the transcontinental railway since 1903 when he represented New South Wales as chairman of a conference of Engineers-in-Chief on that matter. In 1910 he became engineer-in-chief and supervised the construction of a large portion of this railway.
Deane was also consulted on the issue of solving the national break of gauge problem. For example, he was put in charge of the third rail experiments at Tocumwal in 1915, and especially the Brennan switch
Switch
In electronics, a switch is an electrical component that can break an electrical circuit, interrupting the current or diverting it from one conductor to another....
es.
He retired from Commonwealth Railways
Commonwealth Railways
The Commonwealth Railways were established in 1912, as part of a government department, currently called the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, by the Government of Australia to construct the missing link in the east-west transcontinental railway and...
in April 1914 and then practised as a consulting engineer at Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
.
Family
Deane died in Melbourne on 12 March 1924, and was buried with Anglican rites in Brighton CemeteryBrighton Cemetery
Brighton Cemetery is located in the Melbourne suburb of Caulfield South, Victoria, but takes its name from Brighton, Victoria.The Cemetery pre-dates the Caulfield Roads Board - the first official recognition of the suburb of Caulfield. Opened in 1855 it became, together with St. Kilda Cemetery, an...
. He was twice married (in 1873 and 1890) and left a widow, three sons and three daughters. He was a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers
Institution 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...
and of several learned societies. He was twice president of the Royal Society of New South Wales
Royal Society of New South Wales
The Royal Society of New South Wales is a learned society based in Sydney, Australia. It was established as the Philosophical Society of Australasia on 27 June 1821...
and for two years was president of the Linnean Society of New South Wales
Linnean Society of New South Wales
The Linnean Society of New South Wales promotes the Cultivation and Study of the Science of Natural History in all its Branches and was founded in Sydney, New South Wales in 1874 and incorporated in 1884. It succeeded the Entomological Society of New South Wales, founded in 1862 and folded in...
.
In conjunction with Joseph Maiden
Joseph Maiden
Joseph Henry Maiden was a botanist who made a major contribution to knowledge of the Australian flora, especially the Eucalyptus genus. This botanist is denoted by the author abbreviation Maiden when citing a botanical name.Joseph Maiden was born in St John's Wood, London...
, Deane published a series of papers on native timber
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
s, and wrote frequently on forestry
Forestry
Forestry is the interdisciplinary profession embracing the science, art, and craft of creating, managing, using, and conserving forests and associated resources in a sustainable manner to meet desired goals, needs, and values for human benefit. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands...
and botanical
Botany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
subjects. Eucalyptus deanei
Eucalyptus deanei
Eucalyptus deanei, the Mountain Blue Gum is a eucalyptus tree of mountain country of central New South Wales. Eucalyptus deanei is a large to very large tree, usually 30 to 50 metres tall, sometimes achieving a much greater height...
was named after him. His work on tertiary fossil botany was particularly valuable, and gave him a high reputation among the geologist
Geologist
A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid and liquid matter that constitutes the Earth as well as the processes and history that has shaped it. Geologists usually engage in studying geology. Geologists, studying more of an applied science than a theoretical one, must approach Geology using...
s of his time.