James Stirling (1835-1917)
Encyclopedia
James Stirling was a Scottish mechanical engineer. He was Locomotive Superintendent of the Glasgow and South Western Railway
and later the South Eastern Railway
.
, rector of Galston, East Ayrshire
. After two years working for a village millwright he joined the Glasgow and South Western Railway
(GSWR) where he was apprenticed to his brother Patrick
, who had been Locomotive Superintendent of that railway since 1853.
On completion of his apprenticeship, he spent a year as a fitter at Sharp Stewart in Manchester
, before returning to the GSWR drawing office at Kilmarnock
; he later became works manager.
On 1 March 1866, Patrick left the GSWR for the Great Northern Railway
, where he became Works Manager at Doncaster
(he became the Locomotive Superintendent of that railway from 1 October 1866), and James was appointed locomotive superintendent of the GSWR in his place.
Like his brother, James Stirling favoured the domeless boiler, known as the "straightback" and cabs for the enginemen. Although not the first British locomotive engineer to use the 4-4-0
type, he was the first to produce a 4-4-0 which could be regarded as successful, with his No. 6 class of 1873. Stirling also invented a steam reverser, using it on most of his designs from 1874.
At the end of June 1878 he left the GSWR for the South Eastern Railway
. He retired in 1898 and died in Ashford in 1917.
type for express passenger work, each more capable than the last; his other three classes were an 0-6-0
for goods, an 0-4-4
T for suburban passenger, and an 0-6-0
T for shunting. At his retirement at the end of 1898, the SER had 459 engines, of which 384 were to Stirling's design, and seven others had been purchased to outside design; ten more to Stirling's design would be built in 1899.
Glasgow and South Western Railway
The Glasgow and South Western Railway , one of the pre-grouping railway companies, served a triangular area of south-west Scotland, between Glasgow, Stranraer and Carlisle...
and later the South Eastern Railway
South Eastern Railway (UK)
The South Eastern Railway was a railway company in south-eastern England from 1836 until 1922. The company was formed to construct a route from London to Dover. Branch lines were later opened to Tunbridge Wells, Hastings, Canterbury and other places in Kent...
.
Biography
Stirling was born in 1835, the fifth son of Robert StirlingRobert Stirling
The Reverend Dr Robert Stirling was a Scottish clergyman, and inventor of the stirling engine.- Biography :Stirling was born at Cloag Farm near Methven, Perthshire, the third of eight children...
, rector of Galston, East Ayrshire
Galston, East Ayrshire
Galston is a town in East Ayrshire, Scotland which has a population of 5000 . It is situated in wooded countryside 4 miles up-river from Kilmarnock and is one a group of the small towns located in the Irvine Valley between the towns of Hurlford and Newmilns. Galston is located in the Loudoun area...
. After two years working for a village millwright he joined the Glasgow and South Western Railway
Glasgow and South Western Railway
The Glasgow and South Western Railway , one of the pre-grouping railway companies, served a triangular area of south-west Scotland, between Glasgow, Stranraer and Carlisle...
(GSWR) where he was apprenticed to his brother Patrick
Patrick Stirling
Patrick Stirling was Locomotive Superintendent of the Great Northern Railway.His father Robert Stirling was also an engineer. His brother James Stirling was also a locomotive engineer...
, who had been Locomotive Superintendent of that railway since 1853.
On completion of his apprenticeship, he spent a year as a fitter at Sharp Stewart 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...
, before returning to the GSWR drawing office at Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock is a large burgh in East Ayrshire, Scotland, with a population of 44,734. It is the second largest town in Ayrshire. The River Irvine runs through its eastern section, and the Kilmarnock Water passes through it, giving rise to the name 'Bank Street'...
; he later became works manager.
On 1 March 1866, Patrick left the GSWR for the Great Northern Railway
Great Northern Railway (Great Britain)
The Great Northern Railway was a British railway company established by the Great Northern Railway Act of 1846. On 1 January 1923 the company lost its identity as a constituent of the newly formed London and North Eastern Railway....
, where he became Works Manager at Doncaster
Doncaster Works
Doncaster railway works is in the town of Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England.Always referred to as "the Plant", it was established by the Great Northern Railway in 1853, replacing the previous works in Boston and Peterborough...
(he became the Locomotive Superintendent of that railway from 1 October 1866), and James was appointed locomotive superintendent of the GSWR in his place.
Like his brother, James Stirling favoured the domeless boiler, known as the "straightback" and cabs for the enginemen. Although not the first British locomotive engineer to use the 4-4-0
4-4-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-4-0 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles, and no trailing wheels...
type, he was the first to produce a 4-4-0 which could be regarded as successful, with his No. 6 class of 1873. Stirling also invented a steam reverser, using it on most of his designs from 1874.
At the end of June 1878 he left the GSWR for the South Eastern Railway
South Eastern Railway (UK)
The South Eastern Railway was a railway company in south-eastern England from 1836 until 1922. The company was formed to construct a route from London to Dover. Branch lines were later opened to Tunbridge Wells, Hastings, Canterbury and other places in Kent...
. He retired in 1898 and died in Ashford in 1917.
Locomotives
On the South Eastern Railway, Stirling designed just six classes of locomotive in his twenty years - three of these were of the 4-4-04-4-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-4-0 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles, and no trailing wheels...
type for express passenger work, each more capable than the last; his other three classes were an 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...
for goods, an 0-4-4
0-4-4
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-4-4 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles, and four trailing wheels on two axles...
T for suburban passenger, and an 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...
T for shunting. At his retirement at the end of 1898, the SER had 459 engines, of which 384 were to Stirling's design, and seven others had been purchased to outside design; ten more to Stirling's design would be built in 1899.
| Class | Wheel arrangement |
Built | Total | Notes | Rebuilt | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glasgow and South Western Railway (1866–78) | ||||||
| 157 class | 0-4-0ST | 1866–70 | 5 | |||
| 159 class | 2-2-2WT | 1867 | 1 | |||
| 8 class | 2-4-0 | 1868–70 | 15 | |||
| 75 class | 2-4-0 | 1870–71 | 10 | |||
| 187 class | 0-4-2 | 1870–71 | 20 | |||
| 65 class | 0-4-0 | 1871–74 | 22 | |||
| 208 class | 0-4-2 | 1873 | 10 | |||
| 6 class | 4-4-0 | 1873–7 | 22 | |||
| 218 class | 0-4-0ST | 1873 | 2 | |||
| 220 class | 0-4-0ST | 1874 | 1 | |||
| 221 class | 0-4-2 | 1874–78 | 60 | |||
| 113 class | 0-4-0ST | 1875–76 | 6 | |||
| 13 class | 0-6-0 | 1877–78 | 12 | |||
| 1 class | 0-4-4T | 1879 | 4 | design modified by Hugh Smellie Hugh Smellie Hugh Smellie was a Scottish engineer. He was born in Ayr on 3rd March 1840 and died at Bridge of Allan on 19th April 1891.He was locomotive superintendent of the Maryport and Carlisle Railway from 1870-1878, the Glasgow and South Western Railway from 1878-1890 and the Caledonian Railway in... prior to construction |
||
| South Eastern Railway (1878–98) | ||||||
| O class SECR O Class The South Eastern Railway O Class was a class of 0-6-0 steam locomotive designed for freight work, and were the main freight engines of the SER, and later the South Eastern and Chatham Railway for a number of years... |
0-6-0 | 1878-99 | 122 | last 5 built by SE&CR | 59 to O1, 1903–32 | |
| A class | 4-4-0 | 1879-81 | 12 | |||
| Q class | 0-4-4T | 1881-97 | 118 | 55 to Q1, 1903–17 | ||
| F class | 4-4-0 | 1883-98 | 88 | 76 to F1, 1903–20 | ||
| R class SER R class The SER R class was a class of 0-6-0T locomotives on the South Eastern Railway.-History:For many years the South Eastern Railway had possessed very few locomotives designed for shunting... |
0-6-0T | 1888-98 | 25 | 13 to R1, 1910–22 | ||
| B class SECR B1 class The SECR B1 class was a class of 4-4-0 steam tender locomotive for express passenger service on the South Eastern and Chatham Railway. These engines were originally designed by James Stirling for the South Eastern Railway in 1898 and designated B class... |
4-4-0 | 1898-99 | 29 | last 5 built by SE&CR | 27 to B1, 1910–27 | |
See also
- Locomotives of the Glasgow and South Western RailwayLocomotives of the Glasgow and South Western RailwayThe locomotives of the Glasgow and South Western Railway . The G&SWR had its headquarters in Glasgow with its main locomotive works in Kilmarnock.- Engines inherited from constituent companies :...
- Locomotives of the Southern RailwayLocomotives of the Southern RailwayThe Southern Railway took a key role in expanding the 660 V DC third rail electrified network begun by the London & South Western Railway. As a result of this, and its smaller operating area, its steam locomotive stock was the smallest of the 'Big Four' companies. Yet its locomotives were unique...