George England
Encyclopedia
George England and Co. was an early English manufacturer of steam locomotives founded by the engineer George England of Newcastle upon Tyne (1811–1878). The company operated from the Hatcham Iron Works in New Cross
, Surrey, and began building locomotives in the 1840s.
The company supplied one of the earliest tank locomotives to the contractors building the Newhaven, Sussex branch line for the London Brighton and South Coast Railway and exhibited exhibited a design at The Great Exhibition
in 1851. It also supplied locomotives to the Ffestiniog Railway
, the Wantage Tramway
, the Caledonian Railway
, the London & Blackwall Railway the Great Western Railway
and the Victorian Railways
amongst others.
patent articulated locomotive, also for the Ffestiniog Railway. George England's daughter Eliza Anne had earlier eloped with Robert Francis Fairlie
, the inventor of the Fairlie locomotive. On George England's early retirement in 1869, Fairlie took over the company in partnership with England's son George England junior renaming it the Fairlie Engine and Steam Carriage Company, but following the death of George England jnr just a few months later the works were sold.
New Cross
New Cross is a district and ward of the London Borough of Lewisham, England. It is situated 4 miles south-east of Charing Cross. The ward covered by London post town and the SE 14 postcode district. New Cross is near St Johns, Telegraph Hill, Nunhead, Peckham, Brockley, Deptford and Greenwich...
, Surrey, and began building locomotives in the 1840s.
The company supplied one of the earliest tank locomotives to the contractors building the Newhaven, Sussex branch line for the London Brighton and South Coast Railway and exhibited exhibited a design at The Great Exhibition
The Great Exhibition
The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of all Nations or The Great Exhibition, sometimes referred to as the Crystal Palace Exhibition in reference to the temporary structure in which it was held, was an international exhibition that took place in Hyde Park, London, from 1 May to 15 October...
in 1851. It also supplied locomotives to the Ffestiniog Railway
Ffestiniog Railway
The Ffestiniog Railway is a narrow gauge heritage railway, located in Gwynedd, Wales. It is a major tourist attraction located mainly within the Snowdonia National Park....
, the Wantage Tramway
Wantage Tramway
The Wantage Tramway was a two mile tram way that carried passengers and freight between the Oxfordshire town of Wantage, and Wantage Road Station on the Great Western Main Line.-History:...
, 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...
, the London & Blackwall Railway 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 Victorian Railways
Victorian Railways
The Victorian Railways operated railways in the Australian state of Victoria from 1859 to 1983. The first railways in Victoria were private companies, but when these companies failed or defaulted, the Victorian Railways was established to take over their operations...
amongst others.
0-4-0
The four locomotives supplied by England in 1863/64 to the Ffestiniog Railway were the first truly successful narrow gauge engines built and remarkably 4 survive, much rebuilt, two still in full working order. Two more similar 0-4-0 engines to an improved design were built in 1867, one of which, Welsh Pony, survives. The other, "Princess" is on display at Spooner's Bar in Porthmadoc, although without her tender, which is behind "Welsh Pony".Fairlie
In 1869 England built the famous Little Wonder FairlieFairlie
A Fairlie is a type of articulated steam locomotive that has the driving wheels on bogies. The locomotive may be double-ended or single ended...
patent articulated locomotive, also for the Ffestiniog Railway. George England's daughter Eliza Anne had earlier eloped with Robert Francis Fairlie
Robert Francis Fairlie
Robert Francis Fairlie was a Scottish railway engineer.- Early life :Fairlie was the son of T. Archibald Fairlie and Margaret Fairlie...
, the inventor of the Fairlie locomotive. On George England's early retirement in 1869, Fairlie took over the company in partnership with England's son George England junior renaming it the Fairlie Engine and Steam Carriage Company, but following the death of George England jnr just a few months later the works were sold.
Preservation
- Wantage Tramway, Shannon, 0-4-00-4-0Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-4-0 represents one of the simplest possible types, that with two axles and four coupled wheels, all of which are driven...
WT, preserved at Didcot Railway CentreDidcot Railway CentreDidcot Railway Centre, located in the town of Didcot in the English county of Oxfordshire, is based around the site of a comprehensive "engine shed" which became redundant after the nationalisation of the UK railways, due to the gradual changeover from steam to diesel motive power.-Description:The... - Ffestiniog Railway, see: Ffestiniog Railway rolling stockFfestiniog Railway rolling stockThe Ffestiniog Railway owns and operates a number of heritage and modern-day steam and diesel locomotives. A full list of these locomotives with details of their operational status is provided below.-Locomotives:...