Sir William McAlpine, 6th Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir William Hepburn McAlpine, 6th Baronet (born 1936 in London), is a British
millionaire businessman, a former director of the construction company Sir Robert McAlpine
.
, he was raised at the family home in Surrey
. Alistair McAlpine, Baron McAlpine of West Green
is his younger brother.
Educated at Charterhouse School
, he left to join the family firm. After World War II
was a busy time for construction, with McAlpine starting his career at Hayes Depot, Middlesex
, a 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) site which housed the McAlpine's railway locomotive and wagon fleet.
He inherited the baronetcy in 1990 on the death of Sir Robert McAlpine, 5th Baronet
. He is patron of the Clan MacAlpine Society. He served as High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire
for 1999.
to find that the company's Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0ST No.31 was for sale for £100. He purchased the locomotive, and moved it to his country estate home at Fawley, Buckinghamshire
. This marked the start in 1961 of the Fawley Hill Railway, a private railway which now runs to over a mile long, combining the steepest gradient at 1:13 on a British railway, and includes:
In addition, the perimeter of the railway line is adorned with several prominent architectural features which McAlpine acquired - although these were received mostly as donations; these include the original Wembley Stadium Flagpoles, some early cast-iron bridge parapets, and several arched structures from prominent London locations.
Entrance to Fawley Hill Railway is by invitation only on select days, usually during the summer period.
in partnership with John Gretton, which was subsequently housed at Market Overton
in Rutland
. After being moved to the Steamtown
, she was sold to Rio Tinto and moved to Australia. McAlpine purchased LNER Class A3 4472 Flying Scotsman
after a financially disastrous tour of North America
, to save her from sale to an America consortium.
McAlpine became involved in a plan to save the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway
and became its chairman. After the efforts of Dr Peter Beet
to preserve the LMS 10(A) shed at Carnforth
, McAlpine owned from 1974 a shareholding then a controlling interest until 1987 in the visitor attraction that became Steamtown
. McAlpine presently chairs the RH&DR, the Dart Valley Railway
, and established and chairs the Railway Heritage Trust.
British Rail Class 60
60008 of EWS
was named in his honour.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
millionaire businessman, a former director of the construction company Sir Robert McAlpine
Sir Robert McAlpine
Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd. is a private British company headquartered in London. It carries out engineering and construction for the oil and gas, petrochemical, power generation, nuclear, pharmaceutical, defence, chemical, water and mining industries.-History:...
.
Biography
Born in London at the family owned Dorchester HotelDorchester Hotel
The Dorchester is a luxury hotel in London, opened on 18 April 1931. It is situated on Park Lane in Mayfair, overlooking Hyde Park.The Dorchester was created by the famous builder Sir Robert McAlpine and the managing director of Gordon Hotels Ltd, Sir Frances Towle, who shared a vision of creating...
, he was raised at the family home in Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
. Alistair McAlpine, Baron McAlpine of West Green
Alistair McAlpine, Baron McAlpine of West Green
Robert Alistair McAlpine, Baron McAlpine of West Green , is often known as Alistair McAlpine.He became a life peer in 1984 as Baron McAlpine of West Green of West Green in the County of Hampshire. In the 1990s he had a high-profile business collapse in Australia.McAlpine was a prominent...
is his younger brother.
Educated at Charterhouse School
Charterhouse School
Charterhouse School, originally The Hospital of King James and Thomas Sutton in Charterhouse, or more simply Charterhouse or House, is an English collegiate independent boarding school situated at Godalming in Surrey.Founded by Thomas Sutton in London in 1611 on the site of the old Carthusian...
, he left to join the family firm. After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
was a busy time for construction, with McAlpine starting his career at Hayes Depot, Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
, a 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) site which housed the McAlpine's railway locomotive and wagon fleet.
He inherited the baronetcy in 1990 on the death of Sir Robert McAlpine, 5th Baronet
Robert McAlpine, Baron McAlpine of Moffat
Edwin McAlpine, Baron McAlpine of Moffat, Bt , grandson of Sir Robert McAlpine, 1st Baronet, was a British construction magnate who headed Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd....
. He is patron of the Clan MacAlpine Society. He served as High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire
High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire
The High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire, in common with other counties, was originally the King's representative on taxation upholding the law in Saxon times...
for 1999.
Fawley Hill Railway
An acknowledged railway enthusiast, he returned to Hayes depot during the Beeching AxeBeeching Axe
The Beeching Axe or the Beeching Cuts are informal names for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the United Kingdom. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard...
to find that the company's Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0ST No.31 was for sale for £100. He purchased the locomotive, and moved it to his country estate home at Fawley, Buckinghamshire
Fawley, Buckinghamshire
Fawley is a village and civil parish in Wycombe district in the south-western corner of Buckinghamshire, England. It is on the boundary between Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, about seven miles west of Great Marlow and north of Henley-on-Thames....
. This marked the start in 1961 of the Fawley Hill Railway, a private railway which now runs to over a mile long, combining the steepest gradient at 1:13 on a British railway, and includes:
- The GERGreat Eastern RailwayThe 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...
railway station from SomershamSomersham railway stationSomersham railway station was a station in Somersham, Cambridgeshire on the Great Eastern Railway between March and St Ives. There was also a branch line that ran north-west from the station to Ramsey.-External links:*... - Midland RailwayMidland RailwayThe 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....
signal boxSignal boxOn a rail transport system, signalling control is the process by which control is exercised over train movements by way of railway signals and block systems to ensure that trains operate safely, over the correct route and to the proper timetable...
from Shobnall Maltings - The footbridgeFootbridgeA footbridge or pedestrian bridge is a bridge designed for pedestrians and in some cases cyclists, animal traffic and horse riders, rather than vehicular traffic. Footbridges complement the landscape and can be used decoratively to visually link two distinct areas or to signal a transaction...
from BradingBradingThe ancient 'Kynges Towne' of Brading is the main town of the civil parish of the same name. The ecclesiastical parish of Brading used to cover about a tenth of the Isle of Wight. The current civil parish now includes the town itself and Adgestone, Morton, Nunwell and other outlying areas between...
on the Isle of WightIsle of WightThe Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
, Bridge No 25, where it spanned the Ryde Pier to Shanklin line
In addition, the perimeter of the railway line is adorned with several prominent architectural features which McAlpine acquired - although these were received mostly as donations; these include the original Wembley Stadium Flagpoles, some early cast-iron bridge parapets, and several arched structures from prominent London locations.
Entrance to Fawley Hill Railway is by invitation only on select days, usually during the summer period.
Other railways
After starting Fawley Hill Railway, McAlpine purchased GWR 4073 Class 4079 Pendennis CastleGWR 4073 Class 4079 Pendennis Castle
Pendennis Castle is a GWR 4073 Class steam locomotive, preserved at the Didcot Railway Centre.-Operations:The seventh of the first lot of 10 Castles built in 1923/4, No.4079 "Pendennis Castle" was completed at Swindon Works in February 1924...
in partnership with John Gretton, which was subsequently housed at Market Overton
Market Overton
Market Overton is a village on the northern edge of the county of Rutland in the East Midlands of England.-Geography:Most of the civil parish lies to the north and the east, including part of RAF Cottesmore, but not the main runway. The boundary crosses Teigh Road at Netherfields where it borders...
in Rutland
Rutland
Rutland is a landlocked county in central England, bounded on the west and north by Leicestershire, northeast by Lincolnshire and southeast by Peterborough and Northamptonshire....
. After being moved to the Steamtown
Steamtown (Carnforth)
This was a visitor attraction open to the public on the site of the old 10A locomotive depot, wagon works and west side sidings at Carnforth in Lancashire...
, she was sold to Rio Tinto and moved to Australia. McAlpine purchased LNER Class A3 4472 Flying Scotsman
LNER Class A3 4472 Flying Scotsman
The LNER Class A3 Pacific locomotive No. 4472 Flying Scotsman was built in 1923 for the London and North Eastern Railway at Doncaster Works to a design of H.N. Gresley...
after a financially disastrous tour of North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, to save her from sale to an America consortium.
McAlpine became involved in a plan to save the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway
Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway
The Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway is a gauge light railway in Kent, England. The line runs from the Cinque Port of Hythe via Dymchurch, St...
and became its chairman. After the efforts of Dr Peter Beet
Peter Beet
Peter Beet was an English doctor, notable for his pioneering work in the preservation of steam locomotives.-Early years and education:Raised in Kendal in the Lake District, close to the London, Midland and Scottish Railway West Coast Main Line, he was educated in Harrogate, close to the London and...
to preserve the LMS 10(A) shed at Carnforth
Carnforth railway station
Carnforth railway station is a railway station that serves the town of Carnforth in Lancashire. The building was designed by architect William Tite and was famously used as the location in the 1945 film Brief Encounter. It is now operated by TransPennine Express.-History:Carnforth station was...
, McAlpine owned from 1974 a shareholding then a controlling interest until 1987 in the visitor attraction that became Steamtown
Steamtown (Carnforth)
This was a visitor attraction open to the public on the site of the old 10A locomotive depot, wagon works and west side sidings at Carnforth in Lancashire...
. McAlpine presently chairs the RH&DR, the Dart Valley Railway
Dart Valley Railway
The Dart Valley Railway could refer to one of two heritage railways in Devon:* The South Devon Railway , which was reopened by Dart Valley Light Railway plc in 1969, and taken over by South Devon Railway Trust in 1992....
, and established and chairs the Railway Heritage Trust.
British Rail Class 60
British Rail Class 60
The British Rail Class 60 is a class of Co-Co heavy freight diesel-electric locomotives built by Brush Traction. They are nicknamed Tugs by Rail Enthusiasts.-History:...
60008 of EWS
EWS
DB Schenker Rail , before 2009 known as English, Welsh and Scottish Railway is a British rail freight company. EWS was established by a consortium led by Wisconsin Central Transportation Corporation in 1996 by acquisition of five of the six freight companies created by the privatisation of British...
was named in his honour.