Matthew Kirtley
Encyclopedia
Matthew Kirtley was an important early locomotive engineer. His brother Thomas Kirtley
was also a locomotive engineer (on the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway
(1847)) as was his nephew, William Kirtley
, who served as locomotive superintendent on the London, Chatham and Dover Railway
, 1874-1898.
Kirtley was born in February 1813 at Tanfield, Durham
. At the age of thirteen he began work on the Stockton and Darlington Railway
; he was fireman on the Liverpool and Manchester Railway
, and was present at its opening. Eventually he became a driver on the London and Birmingham Railway
(L&BR): he is believed to have driven the first L&BR train (and the first main line train) to enter London
.
In 1839 he was appointed, first a locomotive foreman, and in 1841 locomotive superintendent of the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway
; when that railway became one of the constituents of the Midland Railway, he took over the entire Railway as its locomotive superintendent. When he died in 1873 hundreds of locomotives to his design existed, many of which were to last into the days of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
, some fifty years later.
Thomas Kirtley
Thomas Kirtley was locomotive superintendent of the North Midland Railway and later the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway.-Biography:...
was also a locomotive engineer (on the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway
London, Brighton and South Coast Railway
The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1846 to 1922. Its territory formed a rough triangle, with London at its apex, practically the whole coastline of Sussex as its base, and a large part of Surrey...
(1847)) as was his nephew, William Kirtley
William Kirtley
William Kirtley was the Locomotive Superintendent of the London Chatham and Dover Railway in England from 1874 until the merger to form the South Eastern and Chatham Railway at the end of 1898.-Biography:...
, who served as locomotive superintendent on the London, Chatham and Dover Railway
London, Chatham and Dover Railway
The London, Chatham and Dover Railway was a railway company in south-eastern England from 1859 until the 1923 grouping which united it with other companies to form the Southern Railway. Its lines ran through London and northern and eastern Kent to form a significant part of the Greater London...
, 1874-1898.
Kirtley was born in February 1813 at Tanfield, Durham
Tanfield, Durham
Tanfield is a former mining village in County Durham, England near Stanley and is the location of Tanfield Railway and the Causey Arch. It is also the location of Tanfield School.-History:...
. At the age of thirteen he began work on the 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...
; he was fireman on the 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...
, and was present at its opening. Eventually he became a driver on the London and Birmingham Railway
London and Birmingham Railway
The London and Birmingham Railway was an early railway company in the United Kingdom from 1833 to 1846, when it became part of the London and North Western Railway ....
(L&BR): he is believed to have driven the first L&BR train (and the first main line train) to enter 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...
.
In 1839 he was appointed, first a locomotive foreman, and in 1841 locomotive superintendent of the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway
Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway
The Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway was a British railway company. From Birmingham it connected at Derby with the North Midland Railway and the Midland Counties Railway at what became known as the Tri Junct Station...
; when that railway became one of the constituents of the Midland Railway, he took over the entire Railway as its locomotive superintendent. When he died in 1873 hundreds of locomotives to his design existed, many of which were to last into the days of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
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...
, some fifty years later.
External links
- http://www.steamindex.com/people/midland.htm