William Peter Durtnall
Encyclopedia
William Peter Durtnall (1873–1947), M.I.Mar.E., M.I.Auto.E., M.I.Loco.E, was a British
electrical engineer and inventor, and a Captain in the Royal Air Force
. He was involved in both marine and locomotive
engineering and invented a thermo-electric engine patented as the "Paragon". Durtnall transferred from the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve to a temporary commission as a Captain in the Royal Air Force in April 1918.
, Kent, his father was a mariner before marriage and later became a carman on the railway. His mother ran a lodging house and his grandfather had been a sailmaker at Chatham Dockyard
. Apprenticed to Willans at Rugby, he was a junior helper on the Heilmann steam electric locomotives
of the 1890s. Back in England, he continued work on 'hybrid' drives, namely coupling a high speed internal combustion engine to generators or alternators that produced electricity for variable speed electric traction motors that drove ship's propellors or wheels on automobiles and locomotives.
His early work as an electrical engineer was in London, including installing the first electrical system in the Cannon Street Hotel. He was elected an Associate of the Institution of Electrical Engineers
in 1893.
Some of his subsequent work was on buses and ships. He made an experimental petrol electric bus for London use c1905. However, was most of his work was with ships.
In the Great War, he served in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, transferring to the RAF when formed. He was made temp. Lt. (R.N.V.R.), 7th Aug 1917 and Staff Officer; Lt., (R.N.V.R)., & given temp. commn. as Captain, 16 April 1918.. He was appointed Captain on 1 February 1920. He always styled himself Captain RAF, but Captain is not an RAF rank. He was in the Air Ministry, which gave its staff Army
ranks. His post was in the electrical section of the Civil Engineer's department.
The "Paragon" thermo-electric engine was developed and patented by Durtnall in the early years of the 20th century. He proposed a number of applications, including road, rail, marine and air transport. In 1906, Durtnall designed and constructed the first vehicle to be propelled by polyphase alternating current, generated on the vehicle itself. It took the form of a motor-omnibus that could travel at three different speeds.
Durtnall was active in engineering affairs from 1919, writing some articles, attending conferences, and making comments on proceedings until c1925, after which he appears to have written little. He spent his later years in Luton, where died in 1947.
, built a petrol/steam hybrid locomotive using the Cristiani compressed steam system . He also designed a petrol engine
d locomotive for service in Australia (which was not built) and a Battery electric locomotive . His thermo-electric locomotive, first proposed in 1902, was not built until 1920. Just before the First World War, in conjunction with the shipbuilder Hawthorn Leslie, he did sketch out plans for a 1000HP petrol electric main line locomotive for the Trans Australian Railway. Tenders for the locomotives were sent with drawings to the Government of Australia at their request, but they were never built due to the outbreak of war in 1914.
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...
electrical engineer and inventor, and a Captain in the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
. He was involved in both marine and locomotive
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
engineering and invented a thermo-electric engine patented as the "Paragon". Durtnall transferred from the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve to a temporary commission as a Captain in the Royal Air Force in April 1918.
Biography
Born in Herne BayHerne Bay
Herne Bay may refer to one of several places:*Herne Bay, Kent, England*Herne Bay, New Zealand*Riverwood, New South Wales, Australia...
, Kent, his father was a mariner before marriage and later became a carman on the railway. His mother ran a lodging house and his grandfather had been a sailmaker at Chatham Dockyard
Chatham Dockyard
Chatham Dockyard, located on the River Medway and of which two-thirds is in Gillingham and one third in Chatham, Kent, England, came into existence at the time when, following the Reformation, relations with the Catholic countries of Europe had worsened, leading to a requirement for additional...
. Apprenticed to Willans at Rugby, he was a junior helper on the Heilmann steam electric locomotives
Heilmann locomotive
The Heilmann locomotives were a series of three experimental steam-electric locomotives produced in the 1890s for the French Chemins de Fer de l'Ouest . A prototype was built in 1894 and two larger locomotives were built in 1897...
of the 1890s. Back in England, he continued work on 'hybrid' drives, namely coupling a high speed internal combustion engine to generators or alternators that produced electricity for variable speed electric traction motors that drove ship's propellors or wheels on automobiles and locomotives.
His early work as an electrical engineer was in London, including installing the first electrical system in the Cannon Street Hotel. He was elected an Associate of the Institution of Electrical Engineers
Institution of Electrical Engineers
The Institution of Electrical Engineers was a British professional organisation of electronics, electrical, manufacturing, and Information Technology professionals, especially electrical engineers. The I.E.E...
in 1893.
Some of his subsequent work was on buses and ships. He made an experimental petrol electric bus for London use c1905. However, was most of his work was with ships.
In the Great War, he served in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, transferring to the RAF when formed. He was made temp. Lt. (R.N.V.R.), 7th Aug 1917 and Staff Officer; Lt., (R.N.V.R)., & given temp. commn. as Captain, 16 April 1918.. He was appointed Captain on 1 February 1920. He always styled himself Captain RAF, but Captain is not an RAF rank. He was in the Air Ministry, which gave its staff Army
Army
An army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
ranks. His post was in the electrical section of the Civil Engineer's department.
The "Paragon" thermo-electric engine was developed and patented by Durtnall in the early years of the 20th century. He proposed a number of applications, including road, rail, marine and air transport. In 1906, Durtnall designed and constructed the first vehicle to be propelled by polyphase alternating current, generated on the vehicle itself. It took the form of a motor-omnibus that could travel at three different speeds.
Durtnall was active in engineering affairs from 1919, writing some articles, attending conferences, and making comments on proceedings until c1925, after which he appears to have written little. He spent his later years in Luton, where died in 1947.
Locomotives
Durtnall, in association with Hawthorn Leslie and CompanyHawthorn Leslie and Company
R. & W. Hawthorn Leslie and Company, Limited, usually referred to as Hawthorn Leslie, was a shipbuilding and locomotive manufacturer. The Company was founded on Tyneside in 1886 and ceased building ships in 1982.-History:...
, built a petrol/steam hybrid locomotive using the Cristiani compressed steam system . He also designed a petrol engine
Petrol engine
A petrol engine is an internal combustion engine with spark-ignition, designed to run on petrol and similar volatile fuels....
d locomotive for service in Australia (which was not built) and a Battery electric locomotive . His thermo-electric locomotive, first proposed in 1902, was not built until 1920. Just before the First World War, in conjunction with the shipbuilder Hawthorn Leslie, he did sketch out plans for a 1000HP petrol electric main line locomotive for the Trans Australian Railway. Tenders for the locomotives were sent with drawings to the Government of Australia at their request, but they were never built due to the outbreak of war in 1914.