R. J. Billinton
Encyclopedia
Robert John Billinton was the Locomotive, Carriage, Wagon and Marine Superintendent of the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway
from 1890 until his death.
on 5 April 1845, the son of a railway contractor and apprenticed to William Fairbairn & Sons
of Manchester in 1859. In 1863 he moved to Simpson & Co. Engineers of Pimlico London, and soon afterwards to the Calderdale
Iron Works. From 1865 to 1866 he worked with Roland Child mining and civil engineers of Wakefield
. He then became assistant works manager to Munro, Walker and Easton of Sheffield
where he was responsible for the design and building of locomotives and stationary engines. In 1870 Robert Billinton was appointed assistant to William Stroudley
at the Brighton Works of the LB&SCR. In 1874 he moved to become the assistant of Samuel W. Johnson
of the Midland Railway
, at Derby
.
including the D (later D3
) class 0-4-4T, the C2
class 0-6-0, the B4
4-4-0. He also designed and four classes of radial tank
engines E3
, E4
, E5
and E6
. Many of his locomotives were rebuilt with larger boilers by his successor D. E. Marsh
.
Billinton also introduced new classes of steel-framed carriage stock to the railway and re-organised and enlarged the locomotive and carriage works
at Brighton. Robert Billinton died in office on 7 November 1904.
His son, Lawson B. Billinton
(1882-1954) was also the Locomotive Engineer to the LB&SCR from 1912 until his retirement in 1922
London, Brighton and South Coast Railway
The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1846 to 1922. Its territory formed a rough triangle, with London at its apex, practically the whole coastline of Sussex as its base, and a large part of Surrey...
from 1890 until his death.
Early career
He was born in WakefieldWakefield
Wakefield is the main settlement and administrative centre of the City of Wakefield, a metropolitan district of West Yorkshire, England. Located by the River Calder on the eastern edge of the Pennines, the urban area is and had a population of 76,886 in 2001....
on 5 April 1845, the son of a railway contractor and apprenticed to William Fairbairn & Sons
William Fairbairn & Sons
William Fairbairn and Sons, was an engineering works in Manchester, England.-History:William Fairbairn opened an iron foundry in 1816 and was joined the following year by a Mr. Lillie, and the firm became known as Fairbairn and Lillie Engine Makers, producing iron steamboats.Their foundry and...
of Manchester in 1859. In 1863 he moved to Simpson & Co. Engineers of Pimlico London, and soon afterwards to the Calderdale
Calderdale
The Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale is a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, England, through which the upper part of the River Calder flows, and from which it takes its name...
Iron Works. From 1865 to 1866 he worked with Roland Child mining and civil engineers of Wakefield
Wakefield
Wakefield is the main settlement and administrative centre of the City of Wakefield, a metropolitan district of West Yorkshire, England. Located by the River Calder on the eastern edge of the Pennines, the urban area is and had a population of 76,886 in 2001....
. He then became assistant works manager to Munro, Walker and Easton of Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
where he was responsible for the design and building of locomotives and stationary engines. In 1870 Robert Billinton was appointed assistant to William Stroudley
William Stroudley
William Stroudley was one of Britain's most famous steam locomotive engineers of the nineteenth century, working principally for the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway...
at the Brighton Works of the LB&SCR. In 1874 he moved to become the assistant of Samuel W. Johnson
Samuel W. Johnson
Samuel Waite Johnson was Chief Mechanical Engineer of the Midland Railway from 1873 to 1903. He was born in Bramley, Yorkshire and educated at Leeds Grammar School.-Career:...
of the Midland Railway
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
, at Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
.
LB&SCR
Following Stroudley's death in December 1889, Billinton was appointed as his successor the following month. He was responsible for the design of a number of successful locomotive classes at BrightonBrighton railway works
Brighton railway works was one of the earliest railway-owned locomotive repair works, founded in 1840 by the London and Brighton Railway in Brighton, England, and thus pre-dating the more famous railway works at Crewe, Doncaster and Swindon...
including the D (later D3
LB&SCR D3 class
LB&SCR D3 class was a 0-4-4T tank locomotive design, by Robert J. Billinton, built for the London Brighton and South Coast Railway between 1892 and 1896...
) class 0-4-4T, the C2
LB&SCR C2 Class
The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway C2 class was a class of 0-6-0 steam locomotives, intended for heavy freight trains. Fifty-five were built by the Vulcan Foundry between 1893 and 1902 to the design of Robert J. Billinton.-History:...
class 0-6-0, the B4
LB&SCR B4 Class
The B4 class were 4-4-0 steam locomotives for express passenger work on the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway. They were designed by R. J. Billinton and were either built at Brighton works 1899–1902 or else by Messrs Sharp, Stewart and Company in 1901. Twelve members of the class were...
4-4-0. He also designed and four classes of radial tank
Radial axle
A radial axle is an axle on a railway locomotive or carriage which has been designed to move laterally when entering a curve in order to reduce the flange and rail wear....
engines E3
LB&SCR E3 Class
The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway E3 Class were 0-6-2Tside tank steam locomotives. Seventeen were built and they were designed by R. J. Billinton as a development of an earlier design by William Stroudley....
, E4
LB&SCR E4 Class
The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway E4 Class is a class of 0-6-2Tside tank steam locomotive designed by Robert Billinton. They were introduced in 1897 and were essentially a larger version of the E3 Class...
, E5
LB&SCR E5 class
The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway E5 Class is a class of 0-6-2Tside tank steam locomotive designed by Robert Billinton. They were introduced in 1902 and were a larger version of the E4 Class intended for semi-fast secondary passenger work....
and E6
LB&SCR E6 class
The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway E6 Class is a class of 0-6-2Tside tank steam locomotive designed by Robert Billinton. They were introduced in 1904 and were a development of the E5 class with smaller driving wheels intended for heavy short and medium-distance freight...
. Many of his locomotives were rebuilt with larger boilers by his successor D. E. Marsh
D. E. Marsh
Douglas Earle Marsh was the Locomotive, Carriage and Wagon Superintendent of the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway from November 1904 until his early retirement on health grounds in July 1911.-Early career:...
.
Billinton also introduced new classes of steel-framed carriage stock to the railway and re-organised and enlarged the locomotive and carriage works
Brighton railway works
Brighton railway works was one of the earliest railway-owned locomotive repair works, founded in 1840 by the London and Brighton Railway in Brighton, England, and thus pre-dating the more famous railway works at Crewe, Doncaster and Swindon...
at Brighton. Robert Billinton died in office on 7 November 1904.
His son, Lawson B. Billinton
L. B. Billinton
Lawson Boskovsky Billinton was the locomotive engineer of the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway from 1912 for ten years until his retirement in 1922....
(1882-1954) was also the Locomotive Engineer to the LB&SCR from 1912 until his retirement in 1922
Sources
- Bradley, D.L. (1972) The locomotives of the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway: Part 2, The Railway Correspondence and Travel Society, ISBN 0-901115-21-5
- Bradley, D.L. (1974) The locomotives of the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway: Part 3, The Railway Correspondence and Travel Society, ISBN 0-901115-26 6
- Marshall, John (1978) A biographical dictionary of railway engineers, David & Charles, ISBN 0-7153-7489-3
- Marx, Klaus (2008) Robert Billinton: an engineer under pressure, Oakwood Press, ISBN 9780853616764