Henry Hoy
Encyclopedia
Henry Albert Hoy was a locomotive
engineer
with the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
(L&YR). Hoy was born on 13 January 1855 in London
, and educated at King Edward VI's Grammar School in St Albans
, and at St John's College, Liverpool University.
's Crewe
works. In 1878 Hoy transferred to the drawing office, where he designed continuous brakes.
; he was promoted to works manager a year later. In 1886 Hoy was made works manager at the L&YR's new works at Horwich
. He worked principally on electrical engineering.
When John Aspinall
was appointed General Manager, Hoy became Chief Mechanical Engineer
. His principal contribution was the design of an electrification system
for the Liverpool to Southport
line, including motor bogies.
Hoy's only locomotive design was a twenty-strong class of troublesome 2-6-2Ts, built 1903–04, which became LMS
nos. 11700-11716.
He conducted various other experiments. One of these was the use of a new brass alloy for making firebox stays. Its composition was 62% parts copper, 38% parts zinc and 0.37% of iron. This alloy was a failure. Despite being claimed to be more eleastic, it suffered problems in service. In the worst of these, a fatal boiler explosion
with a Class 30 0-8-0
near Knottingley
in 1901 was caused by the failure of a number of firebox rod stays made from this alloy. These locomotives were an Aspinall
design, but had been constructed during Hoy's tenure. On investigation it was found that the alloy was brittle enough to have cracked, even within the thickness of the copper plates of the firebox. Previously the boiler had given trouble with leaks from its stays, probably from early cracking, and where the heads of the stay had been hammered to caulk this, this had caused the heads of the stays to crack. The size of the firebox waterspace was also criticised, although this was due to Aspinall's standard boilers, rather than Hoy's construction. A waterspace of only 2½ inches was narrow, but not unique for contemporary practice. The L&Y did though make it a policy to provide a waterspace of 4 inches after this, even at the cost of a reduction in grate area.
Hoy sought to avoid the problems of the stayed firebox altogether and so developed an alternative boiler and firebox for the Class 30. This used a corrugated tubular furnace and cylindrical outer firebox, as for the Lentz boiler. The furnace was also of steel, rather than the copper
used for fireboxes at this time. One, no. 396, was rebuilt in 1903 and 20 more were built new with this boiler. The new boiler design did not last long in service and the locomotives were rebuilt with conventional boilers after ten years.The eight to ten year interval before rebuilding would be a typical service life for such a boiler. It indicates that the boilers were adequate, and were not withdrawn from service merely to replace them, but also that the experiment was not considered a success and so they were not continued with. Hoy's successor, George Hughes
, described these boilers unfavourably in papers read to the I. Mech E..
in Manchester
. He was replaced by George Hughes
. There he reorganised the works, but died on 24 May 1910.
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
with the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway was a major British railway company before the 1923 Grouping. It was incorporated in 1847 from an amalgamation of several existing railways...
(L&YR). Hoy was born on 13 January 1855 in 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...
, and educated at King Edward VI's Grammar School in St Albans
St Albans
St Albans is a city in southern Hertfordshire, England, around north of central London, which forms the main urban area of the City and District of St Albans. It is a historic market town, and is now a sought-after dormitory town within the London commuter belt...
, and at St John's College, Liverpool University.
London and North Western Railway
In 1872 he began an apprenticeship under Francis William Webb at the London and North Western RailwayLondon and North Western Railway
The London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
's Crewe
Crewe
Crewe is a railway town within the unitary authority area of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. According to the 2001 census the urban area had a population of 67,683...
works. In 1878 Hoy transferred to the drawing office, where he designed continuous brakes.
Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
In 1884 Hoy moved to the L&YR, becoming an outdoor assistant in the locomotive department under Barton Wright in ManchesterManchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
; he was promoted to works manager a year later. In 1886 Hoy was made works manager at the L&YR's new works at Horwich
Horwich
Horwich is a town and civil parish within the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, in Greater Manchester, England. It is southeast of Chorley, northwest of Bolton and northwest from the city of Manchester. It lies at the southern edge of the West Pennine Moors with the M61 motorway close to the...
. He worked principally on electrical engineering.
When John Aspinall
John Aspinall (engineer)
Sir John Audley Frederick Aspinall was a British mechanical engineer who served as Locomotive Superintendent of the Great Southern and Western and Lancashire and Yorkshire Railways. He introduced vacuum brakes to his locomotives in Ireland, a trend which was followed in Britain, and designed...
was appointed General Manager, Hoy became Chief Mechanical Engineer
Chief Mechanical Engineer
Chief Mechanical Engineer and Locomotive Superintendent are titles applied by British, Australian, and New Zealand railway companies to the person ultimately responsible to the board of the company for the building and maintaining of the locomotives and rolling stock...
. His principal contribution was the design of an electrification system
Railway electrification system
A railway electrification system supplies electrical energy to railway locomotives and multiple units as well as trams so that they can operate without having an on-board prime mover. There are several different electrification systems in use throughout the world...
for the Liverpool to Southport
LYR electric units
The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway electrified urban railway lines in Liverpool and Manchester in order to improve the service offered against the competition being put up by new electric tramways.-Liverpool electrification:...
line, including motor bogies.
Locomotive designs
- See: Locomotives of the Lancashire and Yorkshire RailwayLocomotives of the Lancashire and Yorkshire RailwayLocomotives of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway. The L&YR Locomotive Works were originally at Miles Platting, Manchester, from 1889 being at Horwich.- Constituent companies :...
Hoy's only locomotive design was a twenty-strong class of troublesome 2-6-2Ts, built 1903–04, which became LMS
London, Midland and Scottish Railway
The London Midland and Scottish Railway was a British railway company. It was formed on 1 January 1923 under the Railways Act of 1921, which required the grouping of over 120 separate railway companies into just four...
nos. 11700-11716.
He conducted various other experiments. One of these was the use of a new brass alloy for making firebox stays. Its composition was 62% parts copper, 38% parts zinc and 0.37% of iron. This alloy was a failure. Despite being claimed to be more eleastic, it suffered problems in service. In the worst of these, a fatal boiler explosion
Boiler explosion
A boiler explosion is a catastrophic failure of a boiler. As seen today, boiler explosions are of two kinds. One kind is over-pressure in the pressure parts of the steam and water sides. The second kind is explosion in the furnace. Boiler explosions of pressure parts are particularly associated...
with a Class 30 0-8-0
0-8-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-8-0 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and no trailing wheels...
near Knottingley
Knottingley
Knottingley is a town within the metropolitan borough of the City of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England on the River Aire and the A1 road. It has a population of 13,503....
in 1901 was caused by the failure of a number of firebox rod stays made from this alloy. These locomotives were an Aspinall
John Aspinall (engineer)
Sir John Audley Frederick Aspinall was a British mechanical engineer who served as Locomotive Superintendent of the Great Southern and Western and Lancashire and Yorkshire Railways. He introduced vacuum brakes to his locomotives in Ireland, a trend which was followed in Britain, and designed...
design, but had been constructed during Hoy's tenure. On investigation it was found that the alloy was brittle enough to have cracked, even within the thickness of the copper plates of the firebox. Previously the boiler had given trouble with leaks from its stays, probably from early cracking, and where the heads of the stay had been hammered to caulk this, this had caused the heads of the stays to crack. The size of the firebox waterspace was also criticised, although this was due to Aspinall's standard boilers, rather than Hoy's construction. A waterspace of only 2½ inches was narrow, but not unique for contemporary practice. The L&Y did though make it a policy to provide a waterspace of 4 inches after this, even at the cost of a reduction in grate area.
Hoy sought to avoid the problems of the stayed firebox altogether and so developed an alternative boiler and firebox for the Class 30. This used a corrugated tubular furnace and cylindrical outer firebox, as for the Lentz boiler. The furnace was also of steel, rather than the copper
Arsenical copper
Arsenical copper contains up to 0.5% arsenic which, at elevated temperatures, imparts higher tensile strength and a reduced tendency to scaling. It is typically specified in boiler work, especially locomotive fireboxes. It also helps prevent embrittlement of oxygen free copper by bismuth, antimony...
used for fireboxes at this time. One, no. 396, was rebuilt in 1903 and 20 more were built new with this boiler. The new boiler design did not last long in service and the locomotives were rebuilt with conventional boilers after ten years.The eight to ten year interval before rebuilding would be a typical service life for such a boiler. It indicates that the boilers were adequate, and were not withdrawn from service merely to replace them, but also that the experiment was not considered a success and so they were not continued with. Hoy's successor, George Hughes
George Hughes (engineer)
George Hughes was a locomotive engineer, and Chief Mechanical Engineer of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway and the London, Midland and Scottish Railway.-L&YR:...
, described these boilers unfavourably in papers read to the I. Mech E..
Beyer Peacock
In 1904 Hoy resigned from the L&YR to become general manager of Beyer, Peacock and CompanyBeyer, Peacock and Company
Beyer, Peacock and Company was an English railway Locomotive manufacturer with a factory in Gorton, Manchester. Founded by Charles Beyer and Richard Peacock, it traded from 1854 until 1966...
in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
. He was replaced by George Hughes
George Hughes (engineer)
George Hughes was a locomotive engineer, and Chief Mechanical Engineer of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway and the London, Midland and Scottish Railway.-L&YR:...
. There he reorganised the works, but died on 24 May 1910.