Fenton, Murray and Jackson
Encyclopedia
Fenton, Murray and Jackson was an engineering company at the Round Foundry
off Water Lane in Holbeck
, Leeds
, West Yorkshire
, England
.
and David Wood in 1795 to build machine tools (mainly for the textile
industry) and stationary steam engines, competing effectively with Boulton and Watt
and achieving a considerable reputation. They were joined in 1797 by James Fenton and the financier, William Lister.
In 1811, John Blenkinsop
was interested in using steam locomotives on the Middleton Railway
and had patented a rack and pinion
system to overcome problems with adhesion. Fenton, Murray and Wood were asked to design a suitable locomotive. Built in 1812, it was successful and three more followed, plus another two for the Kenton and Coxlodge Colliery. No more were built before Murray died in 1826.
In 1824 the company supplied a 60hp
beam engine
to the commissioners of Deeping Fen
as one of two erected at Pode Hole
. The other engine was supplied by the Butterley Company
as were the scoop wheels for both. Although the Butterley engine was purchased outright (for £3300), it appears that the Fenton and Murray engine was not. The accounts for 1825 showed a payment of only 127/6/- for the Fenton engine. It was not uncommon for beam engines to be leased, purchased 'on terms', or paid for in other novel ways such as a share of the earnings. The engine was named Kesteven and worked until 1925.
From 1831, work began building engines to George Stephenson
's designs, both 2-2-0
"Planets" and 2-2-2
"Patentees"
, many of them under subcontract. Many were exported, and twenty of Daniel Gooch
's Firefly class for the Great Western Railway
. By 1840, they were turning out up to twenty engines a year. However, by 1843, the boom was over and the company closed down.
Fenton carried on building locomotives after 1846, taking over the Railway Foundry of Shepherd and Todd
, in Hunslet
, becoming Fenton, Craven and Company. Among the company's apprentices were some who went on to further success, David Joy
, John Chester Craven
, Benjamin Hick
and Richard Peacock
.
Round Foundry
The Round Foundry is a former engineering works off Water Lane in Holbeck, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.The Round Foundry was built in 1795–1797 by a partnership of James Fenton, Matthew Murray, David Wood and the financier William Lister, trading as Fenton, Murray and Wood,...
off Water Lane in Holbeck
Holbeck
Holbeck is a district in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.The district begins on the southern edge of the Leeds city centre and mainly lies in the LS11 Leeds postcode area. The M1 and M621 motorways used to end/begin in Holbeck. Now the M621 is the only motorway that passes through the area since...
, Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
, 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...
.
Fenton, Murray and Wood
The firm began as Fenton, Murray and Wood, founded by Matthew MurrayMatthew Murray
Matthew Murray was an English steam engine and machine tool manufacturer, who designed and built the first commercially viable steam locomotive, the twin cylinder Salamanca in 1812...
and David Wood in 1795 to build machine tools (mainly for the textile
Textile
A textile or cloth is a flexible woven material consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibres often referred to as thread or yarn. Yarn is produced by spinning raw fibres of wool, flax, cotton, or other material to produce long strands...
industry) and stationary steam engines, competing effectively with Boulton and Watt
Boulton and Watt
The firm of Boulton & Watt was initially a partnership between Matthew Boulton and James Watt.-The engine partnership:The partnership was formed in 1775 to exploit Watt's patent for a steam engine with a separate condenser. This made much more efficient use of its fuel than the older Newcomen engine...
and achieving a considerable reputation. They were joined in 1797 by James Fenton and the financier, William Lister.
In 1811, John Blenkinsop
John Blenkinsop
John Blenkinsop was an English mining engineer and an inventor of steam locomotives, who designed the first practical railway locomotive....
was interested in using steam locomotives on the Middleton Railway
Middleton Railway
The Middleton Railway is the world's oldest continuously working railway. It was founded in 1758 and is now a heritage railway run by volunteers from The Middleton Railway Trust Ltd...
and had patented a rack and pinion
Rack and pinion
A rack and pinion is a type of linear actuator that comprises a pair of gears which convert rotational motion into linear motion. A circular gear called "the pinion" engages teeth on a linear "gear" bar called "the rack"; rotational motion applied to the pinion causes the rack to move, thereby...
system to overcome problems with adhesion. Fenton, Murray and Wood were asked to design a suitable locomotive. Built in 1812, it was successful and three more followed, plus another two for the Kenton and Coxlodge Colliery. No more were built before Murray died in 1826.
Fenton, Murray and Jackson
After Wood's death in 1820, the company became Fenton, Murray and Jackson.In 1824 the company supplied a 60hp
Horsepower
Horsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...
beam engine
Beam engine
A beam engine is a type of steam engine where a pivoted overhead beam is used to apply the force from a vertical piston to a vertical connecting rod. This configuration, with the engine directly driving a pump, was first used by Thomas Newcomen around 1705 to remove water from mines in Cornwall...
to the commissioners of Deeping Fen
Deeping Fen
Deeping Fen is a low-lying area in Lincolnshire in the east of England, which covers around . It is bounded by the River Welland and the River Glen, and is extensively drained, but the efficient drainage of the land exercised the minds of several of the great civil engineers of the 17th and 18th...
as one of two erected at Pode Hole
Pode Hole
Pode Hole is a small village to the west of Spalding at the confluence of several drainage channels. Two pumping stations discharge water into Vernatt's Drain from land in Deeping Fen to the South and West. Water from Pinchbeck South Fen to the North is also lifted into Vernatt's Drain...
. The other engine was supplied by the Butterley Company
Butterley Company
Butterley Engineering was an engineering company based in Ripley, Derbyshire. The company was formed from the Butterley Company which began as Benjamin Outram and Company in 1790 and existed until 2009.-Origins:...
as were the scoop wheels for both. Although the Butterley engine was purchased outright (for £3300), it appears that the Fenton and Murray engine was not. The accounts for 1825 showed a payment of only 127/6/- for the Fenton engine. It was not uncommon for beam engines to be leased, purchased 'on terms', or paid for in other novel ways such as a share of the earnings. The engine was named Kesteven and worked until 1925.
From 1831, work began building engines to George Stephenson
George Stephenson
George Stephenson was an English civil engineer and mechanical engineer who built the first public railway line in the world to use steam locomotives...
's designs, both 2-2-0
2-2-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-2-0 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, two powered driving wheels on one axle, and no trailing wheels...
"Planets" and 2-2-2
2-2-2
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-2-2 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle two powered driving wheels on one axle, and two trailing wheels on one axle. The wheel arrangement both provided more stability and enabled a larger firebox...
"Patentees"
Patentee locomotive
This was a revolutionary 2-2-2 steam locomotive type introduced by Robert Stephenson and Company in 1833, as an enlargement of their 2-2-0 Planet type...
, many of them under subcontract. Many were exported, and twenty of Daniel Gooch
Daniel Gooch
Sir Daniel Gooch, 1st Baronet was an English railway and transatlantic cable engineer and Conservative politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1865 to 1885...
's Firefly class for 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...
. By 1840, they were turning out up to twenty engines a year. However, by 1843, the boom was over and the company closed down.
Fenton carried on building locomotives after 1846, taking over the Railway Foundry of Shepherd and Todd
Shepherd and Todd
Shepherd and Todd was a railway engineering workshop at the Railway Foundry, off Pearson Street, in Hunslet, Leeds, West Yorkshire, EnglandCharles Todd had been a partner in Todd, Kitson & Laird but left to set up his own business in 1838, setting up the Railway Foundry with a Mr...
, in Hunslet
Hunslet
Hunslet is an inner-city area in south Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It is south east of the city centre and has an industrial past.Hunslet had many engineering companies based in the district, such as John Fowler & Co...
, becoming Fenton, Craven and Company. Among the company's apprentices were some who went on to further success, David Joy
Joy Valve Gear
Joy valve gear is a type of locomotive valve gear, patented in 1870, where the movement is derived from a vertical link connected to the connecting rod. The vertical movement is translated into the horizontal movement required by the valve spindle by a die block moving in a slide which can be...
, John Chester Craven
John Chester Craven
John Chester Craven was the locomotive, carriage and wagon superintendent of the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway from 1847 until his resignation in 1870....
, Benjamin Hick
Benjamin Hick
Benjamin Hick was a mechanical engineer. He was born at Leeds in 1790 and trained at Fenton, Murray and Wood, the well known makers of steam engines, textile machines and other machinery. In 1810 Hick moved to Bolton as manager of Rothwell's Union Foundry...
and Richard Peacock
Richard Peacock
Richard Peacock was an English engineer, one of the founders of locomotive manufacturer Beyer-Peacock.-Early life and education:...
.