Joseph Armstrong (engineer)
Encyclopedia
Joseph Armstrong was a British locomotive engineer and the second locomotive superintendent of the Great Western Railway
. His younger brother George
and one of his sons ("Young Joe") also became outstanding engineers in the employment of the GWR.
-on-Tyne, where his father Thomas became a bailiff to the Duke of Northumberland. Joseph attended Bruce's School in Newcastle, where Robert Stephenson
had also been a pupil. In 1823 Robert Stephenson, in collaboration with his father George
, had set up his locomotive works in the city. Moreover, Newburn was at one end of the Wylam Waggonway, where the sight of the famous locomotives Puffing Billy
and Wylam Dilly
must have inspired young Joseph's enthusiasm as an engineer. Newburn also had colliery railways worked by stationary engine
s, and it was at one of these, Walbottle Colliery, that Armstrong found his first employment.
As well as their acquaintance with the Stephensons, an important contact for the Armstrongs was the Methodist philanthropist Timothy Hackworth
, who in 1825 became first locomotive superintendent of the brand-new Stockton and Darlington Railway
. Through Hackworth, the teenage Armstrong may have gained experience driving locomotives on the Stockton and Darlington, and it has been suggested that Hackworth was probably a strong influence on his notably humane religious and social outlook when later in a position of great responsibility at Swindon Works on the Great Western.
Meanwhile, continuing to gain hands-on experience with the pioneering steam locomotives of the time, at the age of 20 (1836) Armstrong was employed by Edward Woods
as a driver on Stephenson's Liverpool and Manchester Railway
, moving four years later to a similar post on the Hull and Selby Railway
, where he was promoted to the post of foreman and became acquainted with the forward-looking locomotive designs of John Gray
. On following Gray to Brighton Works in 1845, Armstrong also got to know another pioneering locomotive engineer of the period, David Joy
.
. When Jeffreys left in April 1853, Armstrong was promoted to Locomotive Superintendent. Also in 1853, the S&CR pooled its locomotives with the Shrewsbury and Birmingham Railway
(S&BR), and Armstrong became responsible for the combined fleet, moving to the ex-S&BR repair shops close to Wolverhampton (High Level) station
, where he appointed his younger brother, George
as his assistant and works manager.
On 1 September 1854, the S&CR and S&BR amalgamated with the Great Western Railway
(GWR), whose locomotive workshops were at Swindon
. The two smaller railways became the newly-established Northern Division of the GWR. Armstrong remained in his position (although he now reported to Daniel Gooch
, who was based at Paddington), and a larger works
was established at Wolverhampton to replace the former S&BR premises.
The ex-S&CR and ex-S&BR locomotives were the first standard-gauge locomotives to be owned by the GWR. All these had been supplied by independent locomotive manufacturers, but the GWR Board wished to have future standard-gauge locomotives built at Wolverhampton. Since Wolverhampton was not yet equipped for new construction, Swindon began building standard-gauge locomotives in 1855, which were to the designs of Gooch; some of these were built by outside manufacturers. In 1859, Wolverhampton also began building locomotives
, to the designs of Armstrong, who had been given a certain degree of autonomy.
Arriving at Swindon, Armstrong embarked his onerous duties with a zeal that would eventually prove too much for even his sturdy health. A characteristic Victorian paterfamilias, he was diligent and strict, intolerant of corruption and injustice, yet philanthropic and generous to those who worked hard. In addition to his railway duties he was much involved in the everyday life of New Swindon
. He was a lay preacher for the Methodists, while also ensuring that the town had churches of all denominations. He was president of the Mechanics' Institute, founded by Gooch but much expanded under Armstrong, and from 1864 till his death was Chairman of the Swindon New Town Board. He was involved with the Medical Fund Society, the Sick Fund Society, the town Water Works, and the Cottage Hospital with its associated mutual benefit societies.
The 1860s and 70s were a time of expansion for the Great Western Railway
. After the Gauge Commission had decided in 1846 against the expansion of the broad gauge
, most new routes were laid to standard gauge
only. Armstrong's job included maintaining the large stock of broad gauge locomotives, many of which had to be renewed or replaced, and also (from 1868) designing a large number of new standard gauge locomotives for service on the rapidly increasing amount of standard and mixed gauge track. In a wider sense he was in charge of all the company's rolling stock, as well as the work and well-being of some 13,000 employees all over the GWR network.
In 1877 Joseph started to show signs of heart trouble. He was reluctant to stop work, but eventually agreed to take a convalescent holiday in Scotland. This came too late, however, and he died of a heart attack at Matlock Bath while travelling north. His funeral on 7 June was one of the most memorable in Swindon's history: 2,000 workers came from the Works, and another 100 from Wolverhampton, as well as many from elsewhere on the GWR system. There were outsiders, too, such as William Stroudley
from Brighton; in all some 6,000 people crowded into St Mark's churchyard, where an obelisk to the memory of Armstrong and two of his sons can still be seen just to the east of the church.
In 1873 the GWR built a large family house for the Armstrongs, Newburn House, located south-east of Swindon Works and station. Dean and Churchward both subsequently lived there, but the childless Colletts chose to live elsewhere, and Newburn House was demolished in 1937. The present-day Newburn Crescent is on the site.
All of Joseph's engines were six-wheelers:
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...
. His younger brother George
George Armstrong (engineer)
George Armstrong was in charge of standard gauge steam locomotives for the Great Western Railway at Stafford Road Works, Wolverhampton from 1864 to 1897...
and one of his sons ("Young Joe") also became outstanding engineers in the employment of the GWR.
Early years to 1847
After a spell in Canada, in 1824 Joseph's family took up residence in NewburnNewburn
Newburn is a semi rural village, parish, electoral ward and former urban district in western Tyne and Wear, North East England. Situated on the banks of the River Tyne, it is built rising up the valley from the river...
-on-Tyne, where his father Thomas became a bailiff to the Duke of Northumberland. Joseph attended Bruce's School in Newcastle, where 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...
had also been a pupil. In 1823 Robert Stephenson, in collaboration with his father George
George Stephenson
George Stephenson was an English civil engineer and mechanical engineer who built the first public railway line in the world to use steam locomotives...
, had set up his locomotive works in the city. Moreover, Newburn was at one end of the Wylam Waggonway, where the sight of the famous locomotives Puffing Billy
Puffing Billy
Puffing Billy may refer to:* Puffing Billy Railway, a narrow gauge tourist railway near Melbourne, Australia* Puffing Billy , an early steam locomotive* Puffing Billy Tournament, a board game convention focusing on train games...
and Wylam Dilly
Wylam Dilly
Wylam Dilly is one of the two oldest surviving railway locomotives in the world; it was built circa 1815 by William Hedley and Timothy Hackworth. Wylam Dilly was initially designed for and used on the Wylam Waggonway to transport coal. It is currently on display in the Royal Museum in Edinburgh...
must have inspired young Joseph's enthusiasm as an engineer. Newburn also had colliery railways worked by stationary engine
Stationary engine
A stationary engine is an engine whose framework does not move. It is normally used not to propel a vehicle but to drive a piece of immobile equipment such as a pump or power tool. They may be powered by steam; or oil-burning or internal combustion engines....
s, and it was at one of these, Walbottle Colliery, that Armstrong found his first employment.
As well as their acquaintance with the Stephensons, an important contact for the Armstrongs was the Methodist philanthropist Timothy Hackworth
Timothy Hackworth
Timothy Hackworth was a steam locomotive engineer who lived in Shildon, County Durham, England and was the first locomotive superintendent of the Stockton and Darlington Railway.- Youth and early work :...
, who in 1825 became first locomotive superintendent of the brand-new Stockton and Darlington Railway
Stockton and Darlington Railway
The Stockton and Darlington Railway , which opened in 1825, was the world's first publicly subscribed passenger railway. It was 26 miles long, and was built in north-eastern England between Witton Park and Stockton-on-Tees via Darlington, and connected to several collieries near Shildon...
. Through Hackworth, the teenage Armstrong may have gained experience driving locomotives on the Stockton and Darlington, and it has been suggested that Hackworth was probably a strong influence on his notably humane religious and social outlook when later in a position of great responsibility at Swindon Works on the Great Western.
Meanwhile, continuing to gain hands-on experience with the pioneering steam locomotives of the time, at the age of 20 (1836) Armstrong was employed by Edward Woods
Edward Woods (engineer)
Edward Woods was a British civil engineer.- Early life and career :Woods was born in London on 28 April 1814, the son of Samuel Woods, a merchant. After education at private schools, and some training at Bristol, he became in 1834 an assistant to John Dixon, recently appointed chief engineer of...
as a driver on Stephenson's Liverpool and Manchester Railway
Liverpool and Manchester Railway
The Liverpool and Manchester Railway was the world's first inter-city passenger railway in which all the trains were timetabled and were hauled for most of the distance solely by steam locomotives. The line opened on 15 September 1830 and ran between the cities of Liverpool and Manchester in North...
, moving four years later to a similar post on the Hull and Selby Railway
Hull and Selby Railway
The Hull and Selby Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom which opened in 1840, connecting Hull with the Leeds and Selby Railway-Origins:...
, where he was promoted to the post of foreman and became acquainted with the forward-looking locomotive designs of John Gray
John Gray (locomotive engineer)
John Gray was an early steam locomotive engineer who introduced several innovations in locomotive design during the 1830s and 1840s.-Career:John Gray's origins are unknown but he appears to have originated from Newcastle...
. On following Gray to Brighton Works in 1845, Armstrong also got to know another pioneering locomotive engineer of the period, David Joy
Joy Valve Gear
Joy valve gear is a type of locomotive valve gear, patented in 1870, where the movement is derived from a vertical link connected to the connecting rod. The vertical movement is translated into the horizontal movement required by the valve spindle by a die block moving in a slide which can be...
.
Saltney and Wolverhampton, 1847–64
In 1847 Armstrong was appointed assistant locomotive superintendent to Edward Jeffreys, on the Shrewsbury and Chester Railway (S&CR), whose repair works was at SaltneySaltney
Saltney is a small town in Flintshire, Wales. It is immediately to the west of the border with Cheshire in England and is contiguous with the Chester urban area.The name is derived from the former salt marshes on which it is built, lying on the River Dee...
. When Jeffreys left in April 1853, Armstrong was promoted to Locomotive Superintendent. Also in 1853, the S&CR pooled its locomotives with the Shrewsbury and Birmingham Railway
Shrewsbury and Birmingham Railway
The Shrewsbury and Birmingham Railway opened on 12 November 1849. It merged with the Great Western Railway on 1 September 1854.The company formed originally as the Shrewsbury & Wolverhampton, Dudley & Birmingham Railway in 1844, it became Shrewsbury & Birmingham Railway in 1847.When the section...
(S&BR), and Armstrong became responsible for the combined fleet, moving to the ex-S&BR repair shops close to Wolverhampton (High Level) station
Wolverhampton railway station
Wolverhampton railway station in Wolverhampton, West Midlands is on the West Coast Main Line. It is served by London Midland, CrossCountry, Virgin Trains and Arriva Trains Wales.-History:...
, where he appointed his younger brother, George
George Armstrong (engineer)
George Armstrong was in charge of standard gauge steam locomotives for the Great Western Railway at Stafford Road Works, Wolverhampton from 1864 to 1897...
as his assistant and works manager.
On 1 September 1854, the S&CR and S&BR amalgamated with 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...
(GWR), whose locomotive workshops were at Swindon
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...
. The two smaller railways became the newly-established Northern Division of the GWR. Armstrong remained in his position (although he now reported to Daniel Gooch
Daniel Gooch
Sir Daniel Gooch, 1st Baronet was an English railway and transatlantic cable engineer and Conservative politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1865 to 1885...
, who was based at Paddington), and a larger works
Wolverhampton railway works
Wolverhampton railway works was in the city of Wolverhampton in the county of Staffordshire, England. It was almost due north of the city centre, and is commemorated with a small display of level crossing gates and a plaque...
was established at Wolverhampton to replace the former S&BR premises.
The ex-S&CR and ex-S&BR locomotives were the first standard-gauge locomotives to be owned by the GWR. All these had been supplied by independent locomotive manufacturers, but the GWR Board wished to have future standard-gauge locomotives built at Wolverhampton. Since Wolverhampton was not yet equipped for new construction, Swindon began building standard-gauge locomotives in 1855, which were to the designs of Gooch; some of these were built by outside manufacturers. In 1859, Wolverhampton also began building locomotives
GWR Joseph Armstrong locomotives (Wolverhampton)
Between 1854 when the Shrewsbury & Chester and Shrewsbury & Birmingham Railways were absorbed by the Great Western Railway, and 1864 when he moved south to Swindon Works, Joseph Armstrong occupied the post of the GWR's Locomotive Superintendent, Northern Division, at Wolverhampton Works...
, to the designs of Armstrong, who had been given a certain degree of autonomy.
Swindon, 1864–77
In 1864, Gooch resigned the post of Superintendent of Locomotive Engines, and Armstrong was promoted to replace him; in addition to Gooch's locomotive duties, Armstrong was also made responsible for carriages and wagons, which was reflected in his new job title, that of Locomotive, Carriage and Wagon Superintendent. As with Gooch, his responsibilities encompassed the Northern Division, which he was happy to devolve to his younger brother, George.Arriving at Swindon, Armstrong embarked his onerous duties with a zeal that would eventually prove too much for even his sturdy health. A characteristic Victorian paterfamilias, he was diligent and strict, intolerant of corruption and injustice, yet philanthropic and generous to those who worked hard. In addition to his railway duties he was much involved in the everyday life of New Swindon
Swindon
Swindon is a large town within the borough of Swindon and ceremonial county of Wiltshire, in South West England. It is midway between Bristol, west and Reading, east. London is east...
. He was a lay preacher for the Methodists, while also ensuring that the town had churches of all denominations. He was president of the Mechanics' Institute, founded by Gooch but much expanded under Armstrong, and from 1864 till his death was Chairman of the Swindon New Town Board. He was involved with the Medical Fund Society, the Sick Fund Society, the town Water Works, and the Cottage Hospital with its associated mutual benefit societies.
The 1860s and 70s were a time of expansion for 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...
. After the Gauge Commission had decided in 1846 against the expansion of the broad gauge
Broad 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 :...
, most new routes were laid to 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...
only. Armstrong's job included maintaining the large stock of broad gauge locomotives, many of which had to be renewed or replaced, and also (from 1868) designing a large number of new standard gauge locomotives for service on the rapidly increasing amount of standard and mixed gauge track. In a wider sense he was in charge of all the company's rolling stock, as well as the work and well-being of some 13,000 employees all over the GWR network.
In 1877 Joseph started to show signs of heart trouble. He was reluctant to stop work, but eventually agreed to take a convalescent holiday in Scotland. This came too late, however, and he died of a heart attack at Matlock Bath while travelling north. His funeral on 7 June was one of the most memorable in Swindon's history: 2,000 workers came from the Works, and another 100 from Wolverhampton, as well as many from elsewhere on the GWR system. There were outsiders, too, such as William Stroudley
William Stroudley
William Stroudley was one of Britain's most famous steam locomotive engineers of the nineteenth century, working principally for the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway...
from Brighton; in all some 6,000 people crowded into St Mark's churchyard, where an obelisk to the memory of Armstrong and two of his sons can still be seen just to the east of the church.
Children
Joseph married Sarah Burdon in 1848. They had nine children, four of whom were apprenticed at Swindon:- Thomas Armstrong (1849–1908). On his father's death he left the GWR, subsequently working as a salesman for engineering companies.
- John Armstrong (1851–1931). On Joseph's death he became Assistant Divisional Locomotive Superintendent, under William Dean. From 1882 he was Divisional Locomotive Superintendent of the PaddingtonPaddington stationPaddington railway station, also known as London Paddington, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex.The site is a historic one, having served as the London terminus of the Great Western Railway and its successors since 1838. Much of the current mainline station dates...
Division, where one of his duties was to supervise the running of the royal train. He retired in 1916. His son Ralph (b.1880) worked for the GWR for some 50 years up to his retirement in 1946, just two years before nationalisationTransport Act 1947The Transport Act 1947 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Under it the railways, long-distance road haulage and various other types of transport were acquired by the state and handed over to a new British Transport Commission for operation...
. - Joseph ("Young Joe") Armstrong (1856–1888). His constitution was not strong and he travelled to South Africa, and later the Mediterranean, for the sake of his health. Together with the young George Jackson ChurchwardGeorge Jackson ChurchwardGeorge Jackson Churchward CBE was Chief Mechanical Engineer of the Great Western Railway in the United Kingdom from 1902 to 1922.-Early career:...
he developed a system of automatic braking system, which was used on the GWR and the Western Region until well after nationalisation. "Young Joe" succeeded his brother John as Dean's assistant, and in 1885 moved to Wolverhampton where he took up a similar post under his uncle, George. Tragically, this 'genius of the family' committed suicide on New Year's Day 1888, apparently with the aim of paying off £500 of debts by means of a life insurance policy. Years later, Churchward would comment generously that had "Young Joe" survived, he, and not Churchward, would have been William Dean's successor. - Irving Armstrong (1862–1935). After serving his apprenticeship at Swindon, Irving became a minister in the Methodist church.
In 1873 the GWR built a large family house for the Armstrongs, Newburn House, located south-east of Swindon Works and station. Dean and Churchward both subsequently lived there, but the childless Colletts chose to live elsewhere, and Newburn House was demolished in 1937. The present-day Newburn Crescent is on the site.
Locomotives
The locomotives of the Armstrongs are relatively little known today, compared to the epoch-making work of Gooch and the turn-of-century elegance of Dean's best designs. Most Armstrong engines were withdrawn by the time of the Second World War, many long before, and none was preserved. One writer has suggested that there is in fact not a huge amount to say about them, simply because they were so orthodox and consistently well-designed. At the same time, "...it is fair to say that he [Armstrong] left the Great Western better provided with sound engines for every class of traffic than any other railway in Britain, and probably in the world."All of Joseph's engines were six-wheelers:
- 2-2-2 "singles" for express passenger work, originally some of the "Jenny Lind"Jenny Lind locomotiveThe 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...
type, then most famously the "Queen"/"Sir Alexander"GWR Queen ClassThe Queen Class was Joseph Armstrong's last class of 2-2-2 express engine for the Great Western Railway, larger than the Sir Daniel Class of about a decade earlier...
classes (Queen itself was, naturally enough, the GWR royal locomotive) and the slightly smaller "Sir Daniel" class. - 2-4-0 tender engines for slower passenger trains. There were several classes of these, and they were often rebuilt when they passed through works, whether at Swindon or Wolverhampton - which makes tracing their detailed history a confusing business.
- 0-6-0 tender engines for freight, notably the "Armstrong Standard Goods" or 388 classGWR 388 classThe GWR 388 class was a large class of 310 0-6-0 goods locomotives built by the Great Western Railway. They are sometimes referred to as the Armstrong Goods or Armstrong Standard Goods to differentiate from the Gooch Goods and Dean Goods classes, both of which were also large classes of standard...
, of which nearly 300 were built, 20 of them as "convertibles" for the broad gauge. 20 others were built with smaller wheels, for the South Wales coal traffic. The outside-frame version of the long-lived "Dean Goods" 0-6-0s, the 2361 classGWR 2361 ClassThe 2361 Class is a class of steam locomotives of the Great Western Railway.It is sometimes described, erroneously, as the "outside-framed version of the Dean Goods"...
, was essentially a development of the 388 class. - 2-4-0 tank engines for suburban passenger work, principally the "Metro Tank" or 455 classGWR 455 ClassThe GWR 455 Class, also called the "Metropolitan" or "Metro" Tanks, was a series of 140 2-4-0T tank locomotives built for the Great Western Railway, originally for their London suburban services, including running on the underground section of the Metropolitan Railway, the source of their nickname....
first built in 1868; used all over the system, but most known for hauling London suburban trains, which they did for about half a century. Construction continued under William Dean, and some had condensing gear for working over the Metropolitan RailwayMetropolitan railwayMetropolitan Railway can refer to:* Metropolitan line, part of the London Underground* Metropolitan Railway, the first underground railway to be built in London...
. Gibson recalled experiencing lively, punctual runs between Maidenhead and Paddington with this surprisiingly powerful class, as late as c.1930. O. S. Nock, referring to the same period, suggests that the running of the "Metros" anticipated modern, electric multiple-unit operation: "I realized that with those old Armstrong 2-4-0s I had an absolutely classic example of precision suburban train performance. It did not matter which of them was on the job; the running was as regular as clockwork." - 0-6-0 side tank and saddle tank engines for light duties and shunting. Many of these machines were converted to pannier tanks in the time of Churchward, when Belpaire fireboxBelpaire fireboxThe Belpaire firebox is a type of firebox used on steam locomotives. It was invented by Alfred Belpaire of Belgium. It has a greater surface area at the top of the firebox, improving heat transfer and steam production...
es were fitted.
External links
- http://www.localhistory.scit.wlv.ac.uk/Museum/Transport/Trains/Joseph.htm