William Pickersgill
Encyclopedia
William Pickersgill was born in Nantwich
(or possibly Crewe
) in 1861 and died in Bournemouth
on 2 May 1928. He was Chief Mechanical Engineer
of the Caledonian Railway
from 1914 until Grouping
in 1923. He was appointed locomotive superintendent of the Northern Division of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
but retired in 1925.
at Stratford
in 1876, where he was a Whitworth Exhibitioner, and after several posts in the running department he was appointed district locomotive superintendent in Norwich
in 1891.
where he continued to develop the 4-4-0
type for that railway and was responsible for the new Locomotive Works at Inverurie
which replaced the unsatisfactory premises at Kittybrewster
. He was Chairman of the Association of Railway Locomotive Engineers in 1912 and was interested in flange and check rail dimensions.
as Locomotive, Carriage & Wagon Superintendent of the Caledonian Railway
. He further developed the McIntosh 4-4-0 type, introduced the class 60 4-6-0
for freight service, and an extraordinary 4-6-0 with derived motion which was highly unsuccessful.
he was appointed Mechanical Engineer of the Northern Division of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
but retired in 1925.
Nantwich
Nantwich is a market town and civil parish in the Borough of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The town gives its name to the parliamentary constituency of Crewe and Nantwich...
(or possibly Crewe
Crewe
Crewe is a railway town within the unitary authority area of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. According to the 2001 census the urban area had a population of 67,683...
) in 1861 and died in Bournemouth
Bournemouth
Bournemouth is a large coastal resort town in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. According to the 2001 Census the town has a population of 163,444, making it the largest settlement in Dorset. It is also the largest settlement between Southampton and Plymouth...
on 2 May 1928. He was Chief Mechanical Engineer
Chief Mechanical Engineer
Chief Mechanical Engineer and Locomotive Superintendent are titles applied by British, Australian, and New Zealand railway companies to the person ultimately responsible to the board of the company for the building and maintaining of the locomotives and rolling stock...
of the Caledonian Railway
Caledonian Railway
The Caledonian Railway was a major Scottish railway company. It was formed in the early 19th century and it was absorbed almost a century later into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, in the 1923 railway grouping, by means of the Railways Act 1921...
from 1914 until Grouping
Railways Act 1921
The Railways Act 1921, also known as the Grouping Act, was an enactment by the British government of David Lloyd George intended to stem the losses being made by many of the country's 120 railway companies, move the railways away from internal competition, and to retain some of the benefits which...
in 1923. He was appointed locomotive superintendent of the Northern Division 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...
but retired in 1925.
Great Eastern Railway
He started work on the Great Eastern RailwayGreat Eastern Railway
The Great Eastern Railway was a pre-grouping British railway company, whose main line linked London Liverpool Street to Norwich and which had other lines through East Anglia...
at Stratford
Stratford, London
Stratford is a place in the London Borough of Newham, England. It is located east northeast of Charing Cross and is one of the major centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically an agrarian settlement in the ancient parish of West Ham, which transformed into an industrial suburb...
in 1876, where he was a Whitworth Exhibitioner, and after several posts in the running department he was appointed district locomotive superintendent in Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
in 1891.
Great North of Scotland Railway
In 1894 he succeeded James Johnson as the Locomotive Superintendent of the Great North of Scotland RailwayGreat North of Scotland Railway
The Great North of Scotland Railway was one of the smaller Scottish railways before the grouping, operating in the far north-east of the country. It was formed in 1845 and received its Parliamentary approval on June 26, 1846, following over two years of local meetings...
where he continued to develop 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 for that railway and was responsible for the new Locomotive Works at Inverurie
Inverurie
Inverurie is a Royal Burgh and town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, approximately north west of Aberdeen on the A96 road and is served by Inverurie railway station on the Aberdeen to Inverness Line...
which replaced the unsatisfactory premises at Kittybrewster
Kittybrewster
Kittybrewster is an area within Aberdeen, Scotland, north of the city centre and roughly south-west of Old Aberdeen.-Transport:Within the area the A9012 road joins the A978 road; there are also several railway tracks, one of which follows the route of the Aberdeenshire Canal...
. He was Chairman of the Association of Railway Locomotive Engineers in 1912 and was interested in flange and check rail dimensions.
Caledonian Railway
In March 1914 succeeded John F. McIntoshJohn F. McIntosh
John Farquharson McIntosh was a Scottish engineer. He was Chief Mechanical Engineer of the Caledonian Railway from 1895-1914 . He was succeeded by William Pickersgill.-Locomotive designs:*Caledonian Railway 19, 92 and 439 classes 0-4-4T...
as Locomotive, Carriage & Wagon Superintendent of the Caledonian Railway
Caledonian Railway
The Caledonian Railway was a major Scottish railway company. It was formed in the early 19th century and it was absorbed almost a century later into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, in the 1923 railway grouping, by means of the Railways Act 1921...
. He further developed the McIntosh 4-4-0 type, introduced the class 60 4-6-0
4-6-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles in a leading truck, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels. This wheel arrangement became the second-most popular...
for freight service, and an extraordinary 4-6-0 with derived motion which was highly unsuccessful.
London Midland and Scottish Railway
Following the GroupingRailways Act 1921
The Railways Act 1921, also known as the Grouping Act, was an enactment by the British government of David Lloyd George intended to stem the losses being made by many of the country's 120 railway companies, move the railways away from internal competition, and to retain some of the benefits which...
he was appointed Mechanical Engineer of the Northern Division 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...
but retired in 1925.
Locomotive designs
William Pickersgill's locomotive designs for the Caledonian Railway included:- Caledonian Railway 60 ClassCaledonian Railway 60 ClassThe Caledonian Railway 60 Class were 4-6-0 passenger engines designed by William Pickersgill and introduced in 1916. Six were built and all of them passed into LMS ownership in 1923 and into British Railways ownership in 1948....
4-6-0 (4P) - Caledonian Railway 72, 713 and 918 classesCaledonian Railway 72 ClassCaledonian Railway 72 Class was a class of 4-4-0 steam locomotives introduced by William Pickersgill in 1920. Thirty-two locomotives were built and all survived to be taken over by the LMS in 1923 and by British Railways in 1948....
4-4-0 (3P) - Caledonian Railway 294 ClassCaledonian Railway 294 ClassThe Caledonian Railway 294 Class were freight 0-6-0 tender engines introduced in 1918 and designed by William Pickersgill. Forty-three were built between 1918 and 1920. They were numbered 294–324, 280, 281, 670–679 by the Caledonian Railway...
0-6-0 (3F) - Caledonian Railway 431 ClassCaledonian Railway 439 ClassThe Caledonian Railway 439 Class is a class of 0-4-4T steam locomotive. It was a development of the earlier 19 Class and 92 Class 0-4-4Ts and predecessor of the 431 Class. The 439 Class was introduced by John F...
0-4-4T (2P) - Caledonian Railway 670 ClassCaledonian Railway 670 ClassThe Caledonian Railway 670 Class were freight 0-6-0 tender engines introduced in 1919 and designed by William Pickersgill. The leading dimensions were identical to those of the 294 Class introduced the previous year....
0-6-0 (3F) - Caledonian Railway 939 Class ex-Highland Railway 'River' class 4-6-0 (4P)
- Caledonian Railway 956 ClassCaledonian Railway 956 ClassThe Caledonian Railway 956 Class were 3-cylinder 4-6-0 steam locomotives that were used on the Caledonian Railway from 1921. They were built to the design of William Pickersgill...
4-6-0 (5P)
External links
- William Pickersgill at www.steamindex.com