William Baker (engineer)
Encyclopedia
William Baker was a railway engineer.
Between 1834 and 1839 Baker was articled to George W. Buck
and then worked on the London and Birmingham Railway
between London and Tring
. From 1837 he worked with Buck on the Manchester and Birmingham Railway
. He later became engineer of the Manchester, South Junction and Altrincham Railway
while also working on the Shrewsbury and Birmingham
and Shropshire Union Railways. He became engineer of the Stour Valley Railway and was then appointed as engineer of the Southern Division of the London and North Western Railway
.
Following the death of Robert Stephenson
he was appointed chief engineer of the London and North Western Railway Company. He wholly constructed, or remodelled and extended, the stations of the company in London, Liverpool and Manchester, as well as the stations in Birmingham, Preston, Bolton, Crewe, Warrington and Stafford. He constructed a new harbour at Holyhead
and was responsible for designing and overseeing the building of the Runcorn Railway Bridge
. Baker was designer and engineer of the Battersea Railway Bridge
. He also acted as consulting engineer to the West London Extension Railway and the North London Railway
, and in Ireland he built the Dundalk, Newry and Greenore and the North Wall Extension Railways. He was elected MICE
in 1848.
Between 1834 and 1839 Baker was articled to George W. Buck
George W. Buck
George Watson Buck was Engineer of the Montgomeryshire Canal in the early 19th Century, and was responsible for the unique lock paddle design....
and then worked 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 ....
between London and Tring
Tring
Tring is a small market town and also a civil parish in the Chiltern Hills in Hertfordshire, England. Situated north-west of London and linked to London by the old Roman road of Akeman Street, by the modern A41, by the Grand Union Canal and by rail lines to Euston Station, Tring is now largely a...
. From 1837 he worked with Buck on the Manchester and Birmingham Railway
Manchester and Birmingham Railway
The Manchester and Birmingham Railway was built between Manchester and Crewe and opened in stages from 1840. Between Crewe and Birmingham, trains were worked by the Grand Junction Railway...
. He later became engineer of the Manchester, South Junction and Altrincham Railway
Manchester, South Junction and Altrincham Railway
The Manchester South Junction and Altrincham Railway was a suburban railway which operated a 13.7 km route between Altrincham in Cheshire and London Road Station in Manchester....
while also working on the Shrewsbury and Birmingham
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...
and Shropshire Union Railways. He became engineer of the Stour Valley Railway and was then appointed as engineer of the Southern Division of the London and North Western Railway
London 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...
.
Following the death of 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...
he was appointed chief engineer of the London and North Western Railway Company. He wholly constructed, or remodelled and extended, the stations of the company in London, Liverpool and Manchester, as well as the stations in Birmingham, Preston, Bolton, Crewe, Warrington and Stafford. He constructed a new harbour at Holyhead
Holyhead
Holyhead is the largest town in the county of Anglesey in the North Wales. It is also a major port adjacent to the Irish Sea serving Ireland....
and was responsible for designing and overseeing the building of the Runcorn Railway Bridge
Runcorn Railway Bridge
The Runcorn Railway Bridge, which is also known as the Ethelfleda Bridge or the Britannia Bridge, crosses the River Mersey at Runcorn Gap from Runcorn to Widnes in Cheshire, England. It was built for the London and North Western Railway to a design by William Baker, chief engineer of the railway...
. Baker was designer and engineer of the Battersea Railway Bridge
Battersea Railway Bridge
The Battersea Railway Bridge - properly called the Cremorne Bridge, after the pleasure grounds in Chelsea and originally commonly referred to as the Battersea New Bridge - is a bridge across the River Thames in London, between Battersea and Chelsea and forming part of the West London Line of the...
. He also acted as consulting engineer to the West London Extension Railway and the North London Railway
North London Railway
The North London Railway was a railway company that opened lines connecting the north of London to the East and West India Docks. The main east to west route is now part the North London Line. Other lines operated by the company fell into disuse, but were later revived as part of the Docklands...
, and in Ireland he built the Dundalk, Newry and Greenore and the North Wall Extension Railways. He was elected MICE
Institution of Civil Engineers
Founded on 2 January 1818, the Institution of Civil Engineers is an independent professional association, based in central London, representing civil engineering. Like its early membership, the majority of its current members are British engineers, but it also has members in more than 150...
in 1848.