Francis Trevithick
Encyclopedia
Francis Trevithick from Camborne
, Cornwall
, was one of the first locomotive engineers of the London and North Western Railway
(LNWR).
(GJR).Steam Index (section for Francis).
His son, Arthur Reginald Trevithick, worked for many years on the LNWR, including several years as assistant locomotive works manager at Crewe. Another son, Frederick Harvey Trevithick, worked for both the Great Western Railway
and the Egyptian State Railways and at the latter advanced to Chief Mechanical Engineer.Steam Index (sections for each son).
After leaving the LNWR he returned to Cornwall and became factor
of the Tehidy estates, of which his Grandfather had been mineral agent in the 18th century. He wrote a biography of his father and, in 1872, had it published. He died at Penzance
on 27 October 1877 and was buried there.
Camborne
Camborne is a town and civil parish in west Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is at the western edge of a conurbation comprising Camborne, Pool and Redruth....
, Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, was one of the first locomotive engineers 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...
(LNWR).
Life
Born in 1812, he began the study of civil engineering around 1832, and by 1840 was employed by the Grand Junction RailwayGrand Junction Railway
The Grand Junction Railway was an early railway company in the United Kingdom, which existed between 1833 and 1846 when it was merged into the London and North Western Railway...
(GJR).Steam Index (section for Francis).
His son, Arthur Reginald Trevithick, worked for many years on the LNWR, including several years as assistant locomotive works manager at Crewe. Another son, Frederick Harvey Trevithick, worked for both the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
and the Egyptian State Railways and at the latter advanced to Chief Mechanical Engineer.Steam Index (sections for each son).
After leaving the LNWR he returned to Cornwall and became factor
Factor (agent)
A factor, from the Latin "he who does" , is a person who professionally acts as the representative of another individual or other legal entity, historically with his seat at a factory , notably in the following contexts:-Mercantile factor:In a relatively large company, there could be a hierarchy,...
of the Tehidy estates, of which his Grandfather had been mineral agent in the 18th century. He wrote a biography of his father and, in 1872, had it published. He died at Penzance
Penzance
Penzance is a town, civil parish, and port in Cornwall, England, in the United Kingdom. It is the most westerly major town in Cornwall and is approximately 75 miles west of Plymouth and 300 miles west-southwest of London...
on 27 October 1877 and was buried there.
Career
- 1840 Appointed resident engineer on the GJR between Birmingham and Crewe
- 1841 Appointed Locomotive Superintendent of the GJR at Edge Hill railway worksEdge Hill railway worksEdge Hill railway works was built by the Liverpool and Manchester Railway around 1830 at Edge Hill, Liverpool. A second was built in 1839 by the Grand Junction Railway adjacent to it...
, Liverpool - 1843 Transferred to the new works at CreweCrewe WorksCrewe railway works is a British railway engineering facility built in 1840 by the Grand Junction Railway. It is located in the town of Crewe, in the county of Cheshire....
as Locomotive Superintendent. Trevithick's foreman at Crewe was Alexander AllanAlexander Allan (locomotive engineer)Alexander Allan was a Scottish mechanical engineer. He was born at Montrose, Angus, in 1809 and died on 2 June 1891.From 1843 to 1853 he was Works Manager at the Crewe Works of the Grand Junction Railway, later London and North Western Railway, under Francis Trevithick. Here he was responsible for...
, who handled much of the design work. - 1846 When the GJR became part of the LNWR, Francis Trevithick became Locomotive Superintendent of the Northern Division. His opposite number on the Southern Division (formerly the London & Birmingham RailwayLondon and Birmingham RailwayThe 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 ....
), was Edward BuryEdward BuryEdward 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...
until his resignation in 1847, and from March in that year J. E. McConnellJames McConnellJames Edward McConnell was one of the first locomotive engineers of the London and North Western Railway . He was Locomotive Superintendent of the LNWR's Southern Division at Wolverton railway works from 1847 to 1862 and oversaw the design of the "Bloomer" and "Patent" locomotives...
. - 1857 Northern and North Eastern (formerly the Manchester & Birmingham RailwayManchester and Birmingham RailwayThe 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...
) Divisions of the LNWR were combined. The Locomotive Superintendent on the North Eastern Division was John RamsbottomJohn Ramsbottom (engineer)John Ramsbottom was an English mechanical engineer who created many inventions for railways, including the piston ring, the Ramsbottom safety valve, the displacement lubricator, and the water trough.- Biography :...
, who took over at Crewe and Trevithick was obliged to resign.
See also
- LNWR 2-2-2 3020 CornwallLNWR 2-2-2 3020 CornwallLondon & North Western Railway 2-2-2 No. 3020 Cornwall is a preserved steam locomotive. She was built at Crewe in 1847. She was originally a 4-2-2 in 1847, but was extensively rebuilt, and converted to a 2-2-2 in 1858.- Early high-speed locomotive design :...
- Locomotives of the London and North Western RailwayLocomotives of the London and North Western RailwayLocomotives of the London and North Western Railway. The LNWR was headquartered at Crewe.- Locomotives inherited from constituent companies :...