Ernest Lemon
Encyclopedia
Sir Ernest John Hutchings Lemon, OBE (9 December 1884-15 December 1954) was Chief Mechanical Engineer of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
and later one of its three Vice-Presidents. During the run-up to the Second World War Lemon was made Director-General of Aircraft Production and made crucial improvements to aircraft production.
and then worked for the Highland Railway
and for Hurst Nelson
.
In 1911 Lemon became Chief Wagon Inspector of the Midland Railway
in England
. In 1917 he was made Carriage Works Manager at Derby
. In 1923 he was appointed Divisional Carriage and Wagon Superintendent at Derby. There he developed production line methods for the construction of wagon
s and carriage
s.
Despite having little experience in locomotive engineering, in 1931 Lemon was appointed to the post of Chief Mechanical Engineer
replacing the retiring Henry Fowler
. After less than a year as CME however, Lemon was again promoted to Vice-President Railway Traffic, Operating and Commercial, replacing J.H. Follows who retired due to ill health. Under his Vice-Presidency, the LMS undertook modernisation of their motive power depot
s. William Stanier
had been head-hunted from the Great Western Railway
to replace him as CME and revolutionised the LMS's locomotive policy.
He was a member of the Engineer and Railway Staff Corps — a Territorial Army unit of the Royal Engineers
; he joined as a Major
in November 1929, and was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel in April 1932. He resigned his commission in August 1943.
During the Second World War Lemon was made Director-General of Aircraft Production and received a knighthood in the 1941 New Year’s Honours list. He retired from the railway in 1943 and died in Epsom
in 1954.
London, Midland and Scottish Railway
The London Midland and Scottish Railway was a British railway company. It was formed on 1 January 1923 under the Railways Act of 1921, which required the grouping of over 120 separate railway companies into just four...
and later one of its three Vice-Presidents. During the run-up to the Second World War Lemon was made Director-General of Aircraft Production and made crucial improvements to aircraft production.
Biography
Lemon was educated at Heriot-Watt College. He served an apprenticeship with the North British Locomotive CompanyNorth British Locomotive Company
The North British Locomotive Company was created in 1903 through the merger of three Glasgow locomotive manufacturing companies; Sharp Stewart and Company , Neilson, Reid and Company and Dübs and Company , creating the largest locomotive manufacturing company in Europe.Its main factories were...
and then worked for the Highland Railway
Highland Railway
The Highland Railway was one of the smaller British railways before the Railways Act 1921; it operated north of Perth railway station in Scotland and served the farthest north of Britain...
and for Hurst Nelson
Hurst Nelson
Hurst, Nelson and Company Ltd was a railway rolling stock manufacturer based in Motherwell, Scotland. The company also built many railway wagons, as well as trams for several local authorities.-Products:...
.
In 1911 Lemon became Chief Wagon Inspector 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....
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. In 1917 he was made Carriage Works Manager at Derby
Derby Works
The Midland Railway Locomotive Works, known locally as "the loco" comprised a number of British manufacturing facilities in Derby building locomotives and, initially, rolling stock in Derby, UK.-Early days:...
. In 1923 he was appointed Divisional Carriage and Wagon Superintendent at Derby. There he developed production line methods for the construction of wagon
Wagon
A wagon is a heavy four-wheeled vehicle pulled by draught animals; it was formerly often called a wain, and if low and sideless may be called a dray, trolley or float....
s and carriage
Carriage
A carriage is a wheeled vehicle for people, usually horse-drawn; litters and sedan chairs are excluded, since they are wheelless vehicles. The carriage is especially designed for private passenger use and for comfort or elegance, though some are also used to transport goods. It may be light,...
s.
Despite having little experience in locomotive engineering, in 1931 Lemon was appointed to the post of Chief Mechanical Engineer
Chief Mechanical Engineer
Chief Mechanical Engineer and Locomotive Superintendent are titles applied by British, Australian, and New Zealand railway companies to the person ultimately responsible to the board of the company for the building and maintaining of the locomotives and rolling stock...
replacing the retiring Henry Fowler
Henry Fowler (engineer)
Sir Henry Fowler, KBE was a Chief Mechanical Engineer of the Midland Railway and subsequently the London, Midland and Scottish Railway.- Biography :...
. After less than a year as CME however, Lemon was again promoted to Vice-President Railway Traffic, Operating and Commercial, replacing J.H. Follows who retired due to ill health. Under his Vice-Presidency, the LMS undertook modernisation of their motive power depot
Motive power depot
Motive power depot, usually abbreviated to MPD, is a name given to places where locomotives are stored when not being used, and also repaired and maintained. They were originally known as "running sheds", "engine sheds", or, for short, just sheds. Facilities are provided for refuelling and...
s. William Stanier
William Stanier
Sir William Arthur Stanier, FRS was Chief Mechanical Engineer of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway.- Biography :...
had been head-hunted from 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...
to replace him as CME and revolutionised the LMS's locomotive policy.
He was a member of the Engineer and Railway Staff Corps — a Territorial Army unit of the Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
; he joined as a Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
in November 1929, and was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel in April 1932. He resigned his commission in August 1943.
During the Second World War Lemon was made Director-General of Aircraft Production and received a knighthood in the 1941 New Year’s Honours list. He retired from the railway in 1943 and died in Epsom
Epsom
Epsom is a town in the borough of Epsom and Ewell in Surrey, England. Small parts of Epsom are in the Borough of Reigate and Banstead. The town is located south-south-west of Charing Cross, within the Greater London Urban Area. The town lies on the chalk downland of Epsom Downs.-History:Epsom lies...
in 1954.
Further Reading
- Terry Jenkins, Sir Ernest Lemon, RCHSRailway and Canal Historical SocietyThe Railway and Canal Historical Society was founded in the United Kingdom in 1954 to bring together all those interested in the history of transport, with particular reference to railways and waterways in Britain, its main objects being to promote historical research and to raise the standard of...
Books, 4 Broadway, Lincoln LN2, 1SH (2011). ISBN 978-0-901461-58-2.
External links
- http://www.steamindex.com/people/fowler.htm#lemon
- http://www.ernestlemon.co.uk