Edward Bury
Encyclopedia
Edward Bury was an English locomotive manufacturer.
Edward Bury was born in Salford, Lancashire, the son of a timber merchant, and was educated at Chester. By 1823 he was a partner in Gregson & Bury's steam sawmill at Toxteth Park, Liverpool, but in 1826 he set himself up as an iron-founder and engineer. His original premises were in Tabley Street near the Liverpool & Manchester Railway's workshops, with the prospect of supplying locomotives to that line, but opposition from the L&M Engineer, George Stephenson, thwarted this. He moved his works to new premises in Love Lane, Liverpool, on the Leeds-Liverpool Canal and near the Clarence Dock, hence the name 'Clarence Foundry & Steam Engine Works'. Around this time he recruited as his manager James Kennedy
, who had gained locomotive building experience working for George Stephenson
and Mather, Dixon & Company. The first locomotive built by Edward Bury and Company, Dreadnought, was intended to compete in the Rainhill Trials, but could not be finished in time. It was an 0-6-0 and did some ballasting work on the L&MR but is said to have been objected to because it was on six wheels; it was sold to the Bolton and Leigh Railway
in 1831.
Bury's second locomotive Liverpool was on four wheels, and was tried on the Liverpool & Manchester but the objection this time was to the size of the wheels, 6 feet in diameter, described as "dangerous" by George Stephenson. The wheels were reduced to 4 feet 6 inches, but this engine also went to the Bolton & Leigh. Thereafter, Bury only succeeded in selling one engine, Liver, to the Liverpool & Manchester Railway.
Liverpool combined near-horizontal inside cylinders with a multitubular boiler and a round, dome-topped firebox, mounted on a simple wrought-iron bar-frame inside the wheels, rather than wooden outside frames and inside iron sub-frames. This was a well thought-out and advanced design, which lasted. Most subsequent Bury locomotives followed this same basic design, which was copied by other firms, in Europe and the U.S.A.
In 1836 Bury became the Contractor for Locomotive Power on the new London & Birmingham Railway; the railway company would provide locomotives to Bury's specification, while he would maintain them in good repair and convey each passenger at a farthing per mile, and each ton of goods at one halfpenny per mile; the passenger trains to be limited to 12 carriages and the speed not to exceed 22.5 mph. This system never worked in practice and in July 1839 the contract was annulled, and Bury became the Manager of the Locomotive Department, paid in the normal way, with a profit-linked bonus.
At first he adopted a firm policy of using only 4-wheeled engines. Of the original L&BR stock of 90 engines, Bury's firm built exactly half.
After taking into partnership his manager James Kennedy, together with Timothy Abraham Curtis and John Vernon, the firm was renamed Bury, Curtis & Kennedy in 1842.
The L&BR became part of the London & North Western Railway in 1846; Bury continued as Locomotive Superintendent of the Southern Division of the L&NWR, but resigned with effect from March 1847.
He became Locomotive Engineer on the new Great Northern Railway
in February 1848 and created such a good impression that in June 1849 he was also appointed General Manager of the line. After a (possibly malicious) accusation that he had placed a small order for ironwork with a firm with which he was associated, he resigned from the G.N.R. in March 1850.
In 1852 he went into partnership in a Sheffield steelworks with Charles Cammell, and in 1855 he started another steelworks with his son, William Tarleton Bury, and John Bedford, as Bedford, Burys & Co, Regent Works, Sheffield.
He had advised on the building of three railway towns, Swindon, Wolverton and Doncaster.
His engineering achievements were recognised when in 1844 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society
. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, a Member of the Smeatonian Society, and a Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers.
He had married on 4 March 1830 Priscilla Susan Falkner
(1799–1872), a botanist and illustrator and daughter of a rich Liverpool merchant.
He retired to Croft Lodge, Ambleside, but became ill in 1858 and died on 25 November at Scarborough; he was buried there.
James Kennedy
James Kennedy was a 15th century Bishop of Dunkeld and Bishop of St. Andrews, who participated in the Council of Florence and was the last man to govern the diocese of St. Andrews purely as bishop...
, who had gained locomotive building experience working for George Stephenson
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...
and Mather, Dixon & Company. The first locomotive built by Edward Bury and Company, Dreadnought, was intended to compete in the Rainhill Trials, but could not be finished in time. It was an 0-6-0 and did some ballasting work on the L&MR but is said to have been objected to because it was on six wheels; it was sold to the Bolton and Leigh Railway
Bolton and Leigh Railway
The Bolton and Leigh Railway was the first public railway in the historic county of Lancashire, England. It opened in 1828 for goods.-History:...
in 1831.
Bury's second locomotive Liverpool was on four wheels, and was tried on the Liverpool & Manchester but the objection this time was to the size of the wheels, 6 feet in diameter, described as "dangerous" by George Stephenson. The wheels were reduced to 4 feet 6 inches, but this engine also went to the Bolton & Leigh. Thereafter, Bury only succeeded in selling one engine, Liver, to the Liverpool & Manchester Railway.
Liverpool combined near-horizontal inside cylinders with a multitubular boiler and a round, dome-topped firebox, mounted on a simple wrought-iron bar-frame inside the wheels, rather than wooden outside frames and inside iron sub-frames. This was a well thought-out and advanced design, which lasted. Most subsequent Bury locomotives followed this same basic design, which was copied by other firms, in Europe and the U.S.A.
In 1836 Bury became the Contractor for Locomotive Power on the new London & Birmingham Railway; the railway company would provide locomotives to Bury's specification, while he would maintain them in good repair and convey each passenger at a farthing per mile, and each ton of goods at one halfpenny per mile; the passenger trains to be limited to 12 carriages and the speed not to exceed 22.5 mph. This system never worked in practice and in July 1839 the contract was annulled, and Bury became the Manager of the Locomotive Department, paid in the normal way, with a profit-linked bonus.
At first he adopted a firm policy of using only 4-wheeled engines. Of the original L&BR stock of 90 engines, Bury's firm built exactly half.
After taking into partnership his manager James Kennedy, together with Timothy Abraham Curtis and John Vernon, the firm was renamed Bury, Curtis & Kennedy in 1842.
The L&BR became part of the London & North Western Railway in 1846; Bury continued as Locomotive Superintendent of the Southern Division of the L&NWR, but resigned with effect from March 1847.
He became Locomotive Engineer on the new Great Northern Railway
Great Northern Railway (Great Britain)
The Great Northern Railway was a British railway company established by the Great Northern Railway Act of 1846. On 1 January 1923 the company lost its identity as a constituent of the newly formed London and North Eastern Railway....
in February 1848 and created such a good impression that in June 1849 he was also appointed General Manager of the line. After a (possibly malicious) accusation that he had placed a small order for ironwork with a firm with which he was associated, he resigned from the G.N.R. in March 1850.
In 1852 he went into partnership in a Sheffield steelworks with Charles Cammell, and in 1855 he started another steelworks with his son, William Tarleton Bury, and John Bedford, as Bedford, Burys & Co, Regent Works, Sheffield.
He had advised on the building of three railway towns, Swindon, Wolverton and Doncaster.
His engineering achievements were recognised when in 1844 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, a Member of the Smeatonian Society, and a Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers.
He had married on 4 March 1830 Priscilla Susan Falkner
Priscilla Susan Bury
Priscilla Susan Bury, born Falkner , was an English botanist and illustrator.Daughter of a rich Liverpool merchant, she married on 4 March 1830 Edward Bury , a noted railway engineer. Working with amateur botanist William Roscoe , she published in 1831-1834 A Selection of Hexandrian Plants...
(1799–1872), a botanist and illustrator and daughter of a rich Liverpool merchant.
He retired to Croft Lodge, Ambleside, but became ill in 1858 and died on 25 November at Scarborough; he was buried there.