Nicholas Wood
Encyclopedia
Nicholas Wood was an English colliery and steam locomotive engineer. He helped engineer and design many steps forward in both engineering and mining safety, and helped bring about the North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers
, holding the position of President from its inauguration to his death.
, helping him develop his version of the safety lamp and making considerable technical contributions to the development of his locomotive Blücher
. Early in their career, George Stephenson began developing a revolutionary safety lamp, yet it was Wood, already an accomplished craftsmen, who made the drawing to which the "Geordie" lamp was made, under the supervision of the inventor. It was Nicholas Wood who actually designed the system of actuating the valves of Stephenson's Blucher with eccentrics added to the axle; most of the valve gears, including, ironically, the Stephenson Gear, were based on the use of eccentrics, however, not on the simple slip eccentrics of Wood. He also carried out in 1818 a series of experiments on rolling resistance, lubrication and laminated steel springs of locomotives. In 1823 he accompanied Stephenson to the meeting with Edward Pease in Darlington at which Pease was convinced to use locomotives on the Stockton and Darlington Railway
and put Stephenson in charge of building it. Wood and Stephenson remained in close contact throughout their lives, and George Stephenson even sent his son, Robert Stephenson, to work as Wood's apprentice, where he flourished.
Bill and then appointed as one of the three judges, along with John Rastrick
and John Kennedy, at the subsequent Rainhill Trials
of 1829. He republished his book, considerably enlarged by reports and discussion of the trials, as a second edition in 1831. A third edition appeared in 1838.
In 1832 he was involved in the building of the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway
and in 1845 became a director of the Newcastle and Berwick Railway. Wood was also given an opportunity to display his geological knowledge of Northumberland
when the British Association for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge held a session in Newcastle. Over the years, his popularity outside of the North of England grew, and, when there was a sudden and horrific mining accident in St. Hilda's Colliery, South Shields, in which fifty people were killed, a report considering the lack of safety in the mines was published, resulting in the required aid of Wood's knowledge of coal safety. This would lead to Wood becoming one of the men who founded the North of England Institute of Mining, later to become the North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers.
He married Maria Lindsay of Alnwick in 1827 and had four sons and three daughters. In declining health for some months, he died while visiting London for medical consultations on 19 December 1865 and was buried at Hetton. His four sons all made names for themselves in the coal industry; the youngest, Sir Lindsay Wood
, becoming chairman of Hetton Collieries after his father's death and a baronet.
North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers
The North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers is a British institution dedicated to the research and preservation of knowledge relating to mining and mechanical engineering...
, holding the position of President from its inauguration to his death.
Early Life
Nicholas Wood was born at Sourmirea, in the small parish of Ryton, County Durham, the son of Nicholas and Ann (née Laws) Wood. Nicholas Senior was the mining engineer at Crawcrook colliery. Nicholas Junior attended the village school at Crawcrook and started work in 1811 at Killingworth Colliery as an apprentice colliery viewer, eventually becoming the viewer or colliery manager. He was there a close associate of the colliery enginewright George StephensonGeorge 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...
, helping him develop his version of the safety lamp and making considerable technical contributions to the development of his locomotive Blücher
Blücher (locomotive)
Blücher was an early railway locomotive built in 1814 by George Stephenson for Killingworth Colliery. It was the first of a series of locomotives that he designed in the period 1814-16 which established his reputation as an engine designer and laid the foundations for his subsequent pivotal role in...
. Early in their career, George Stephenson began developing a revolutionary safety lamp, yet it was Wood, already an accomplished craftsmen, who made the drawing to which the "Geordie" lamp was made, under the supervision of the inventor. It was Nicholas Wood who actually designed the system of actuating the valves of Stephenson's Blucher with eccentrics added to the axle; most of the valve gears, including, ironically, the Stephenson Gear, were based on the use of eccentrics, however, not on the simple slip eccentrics of Wood. He also carried out in 1818 a series of experiments on rolling resistance, lubrication and laminated steel springs of locomotives. In 1823 he accompanied Stephenson to the meeting with Edward Pease in Darlington at which Pease was convinced to use locomotives 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...
and put Stephenson in charge of building it. Wood and Stephenson remained in close contact throughout their lives, and George Stephenson even sent his son, Robert Stephenson, to work as Wood's apprentice, where he flourished.
Career
By 1825 he had gained sufficient reputation and expertise in the design and testing of locomotives that in 1825 he was able to publish his influential book A Practical Treatise on Rail-roads and Interior Communication, in which he analysed the various types of ‘motive power’ then in use: self-acting planes, fixed steam-engine planes, horses and steam locomotives. He was also invited to give evidence before committees of both houses of parliament on the Liverpool and Manchester RailwayLiverpool 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...
Bill and then appointed as one of the three judges, along with John Rastrick
John Urpeth Rastrick
John Urpeth Rastrick was one of the first English steam locomotive builders. In partnership with James Foster, he formed Foster, Rastrick and Company, the locomotive construction company that built the Stourbridge Lion in 1829 for export to the Delaware and Hudson Railroad in America.-Early...
and John Kennedy, at the subsequent Rainhill Trials
Rainhill Trials
The Rainhill Trials were an important competition in the early days of steam locomotive railways, run in October 1829 in Rainhill, Lancashire for the nearly completed Liverpool and Manchester Railway....
of 1829. He republished his book, considerably enlarged by reports and discussion of the trials, as a second edition in 1831. A third edition appeared in 1838.
In 1832 he was involved in the building of the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway
Newcastle and Carlisle Railway
The Newcastle and Carlisle Railway, occasionally referred to as the Tyne Valley Line, is a railway line in northern England. The line was built in the 1830s, and links the city of Newcastle upon Tyne in Tyne and Wear with in Cumbria. Formal opening took place on 18 June 1838.The line follows the...
and in 1845 became a director of the Newcastle and Berwick Railway. Wood was also given an opportunity to display his geological knowledge of Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
when the British Association for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge held a session in Newcastle. Over the years, his popularity outside of the North of England grew, and, when there was a sudden and horrific mining accident in St. Hilda's Colliery, South Shields, in which fifty people were killed, a report considering the lack of safety in the mines was published, resulting in the required aid of Wood's knowledge of coal safety. This would lead to Wood becoming one of the men who founded the North of England Institute of Mining, later to become the North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers.
North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers
In 1844 he became a partner in the company that owned Hetton Colliery and moved to Hetton Hall as colliery manager. He also had a vested interests in a number of other local collieries and businesses. Following the introduction of the Mines Inspection Act of 1850 he was appointed President of the newly formed North of England Institute of Mining Engineers. As a strong believer in technical education for mining management he campaigned for a College of Science in Newcastle which eventually came to fruition after his death and was the forerunner to the University of Newcastle. In 1857, he published an other work on mining safety, On the conveyance of coals underground in pits, which was read at monthly meetings of the Institute. In 1858 he was elected member of the North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers, and soon became its first President, delivering the Inaugural Address, and was thus re-elected each year afterwards until his death in 1865. Furthermore, in 1864 Wood was made a Fellow of the Royal Society.He married Maria Lindsay of Alnwick in 1827 and had four sons and three daughters. In declining health for some months, he died while visiting London for medical consultations on 19 December 1865 and was buried at Hetton. His four sons all made names for themselves in the coal industry; the youngest, Sir Lindsay Wood
Wood Baronets
There have been seven Baronetcies created for persons with the surname Wood, one in the Baronetage of England, one in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia, one in the Baronetage of Great Britain and four in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom....
, becoming chairman of Hetton Collieries after his father's death and a baronet.