Francis Bell (engineer)
Encyclopedia
Francis Bell CE MICE
(c1800 - 9 September 1879), was a British railway engineer
, who worked extensively in Australia, and was involved in a number of important railway construction projects and bridges.
Bell commenced his engineering career in 1837, building railways in England and Scotland, and also worked under Sir John McNeil
MICE, on the Southern and Western Railway in Ireland. By 1854 Bell had migrated to Australia, and was in listed in Victoria as the engineer on the £1,000,000 prospectus for the Geelong–Ballarat railway line, and for the Melbourne to Essendon and Kilmore Railway
. He was also listed as the surveyor for the Colonial Insurance Company, and there are a number of tender advertisements, for reinstatement for damaged buildings. In 1855, he presented a well received paper on the merits of iron truss bridges to the Victorian Institute for the Advancement of Science (later the Royal Society of Victoria
). Other works he designed included 17 miles of the railway from Newcastle to Singleton, New South Wales prior to 1858, the design and construction of the Melbourne and Essendon Railway
in 1859, and works for the Yarra Yarra Mining Company, and Sandridge Lagoon, Port Melbourne.
Bell was responsible for a number of fairly similar wrought iron lattice truss road and rail bridges, several of which were fabricated from components supplied by Messrs. Lloyds, Fosters, and Company's Wednesbury, Old Park Ironworks, Staffordshire. The West Maitland Bridge was the sixth bridge this firm exported for Bell, with the others including the Hawthorn Railway Bridge
and Hawthorn Road Bridge
over the River Yarra, in Melbourne, and the Gundagai, Pitnacree, and Dunmore bridges in New South Wales.
His expertise was sought for a number of Melbourne civic works projects as he gave evidence to the Victorian Royal Commissions on the River and Harbour Trust in 1858 and 1860, and to the Select Committees on the Railway Department in 1860 and on the Central Railway Terminus in 1861 and in the same year was a member of the Royal Society of Victoria's Sanitary Committee.
Bell was City Engineer for the City of Sydney, Australia from about 1871 to 1879, a member of the Sewerage and Health Board, and was responsible for improving the storage capacity of the Botany watershed and planned a system for sewering the city in the direction of Bondi.
Bell was the sixth son of John Bell, of Belfast, Ireland. He was married on 17 June 1858 at the Cathedral, Newcastle, New South Wales
to Jane E. Livingstone, youngest daughter of Captain Livingstone of Newcastle. In May 1872 he was living in St. Leonards, on the North Shore of Sydney, when his wife gave birth to a daughter. His youngest daughter married Charles Wade, who, amongst other things, became premier of NSW in 1907, was the Agent-General for NSW in 1917, and was knighted in 1918.
Francis Bell died in 1879 at his residence in Petersham, New South Wales, and was buried at the Necropolis.
MICE
-Fiction:*Mice , alien species in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy*The Mice -Acronyms:* "Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing, Exhibitions", facilities terminology for events...
(c1800 - 9 September 1879), was a British railway engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
, who worked extensively in Australia, and was involved in a number of important railway construction projects and bridges.
Bell commenced his engineering career in 1837, building railways in England and Scotland, and also worked under Sir John McNeil
John McNeil
John McNeil was a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He was most noted for his role in the Palmyra Massacre and other acts of alleged brutality.-Early life and career:...
MICE, on the Southern and Western Railway in Ireland. By 1854 Bell had migrated to Australia, and was in listed in Victoria as the engineer on the £1,000,000 prospectus for the Geelong–Ballarat railway line, and for the Melbourne to Essendon and Kilmore Railway
North Eastern Railway
North Eastern Railway could refer to:*North Eastern Railway *North Eastern Railway *North Eastern Railway *North Eastern Railway...
. He was also listed as the surveyor for the Colonial Insurance Company, and there are a number of tender advertisements, for reinstatement for damaged buildings. In 1855, he presented a well received paper on the merits of iron truss bridges to the Victorian Institute for the Advancement of Science (later the Royal Society of Victoria
Royal Society of Victoria
The Royal Society of Victoria is the oldest learned society in the state of Victoria in Australia.The Royal Society of Victoria was formed in 1859 from a merger between The Philosophical Society of Victoria and The Victorian Institute for the Advancement of Science , both founded...
). Other works he designed included 17 miles of the railway from Newcastle to Singleton, New South Wales prior to 1858, the design and construction of the Melbourne and Essendon Railway
Melbourne and Essendon Railway Company
The Melbourne and Essendon Railway Company built a railway line from North Melbourne in Melbourne, Australia to Essendon in 1860. It subsequently built a branch line from Newmarket to Flemington Racecourse in 1861...
in 1859, and works for the Yarra Yarra Mining Company, and Sandridge Lagoon, Port Melbourne.
Bell was responsible for a number of fairly similar wrought iron lattice truss road and rail bridges, several of which were fabricated from components supplied by Messrs. Lloyds, Fosters, and Company's Wednesbury, Old Park Ironworks, Staffordshire. The West Maitland Bridge was the sixth bridge this firm exported for Bell, with the others including the Hawthorn Railway Bridge
Hawthorn Railway Bridge
Hawthorn Railway Bridge crosses the Yarra River five kilometres east of Melbourne connecting Richmond railway station, Melbourne and Hawthorn Station on the Alamein, Belgrave and Lilydale Railway Lines...
and Hawthorn Road Bridge
Hawthorn Bridge
Hawthorn Bridge crosses the Yarra River five kilometres east of Melbourne connecting Bridge Road and Burwood Road. It was designed by Francis Bell and is the oldest extant bridge over the Yarra River....
over the River Yarra, in Melbourne, and the Gundagai, Pitnacree, and Dunmore bridges in New South Wales.
His expertise was sought for a number of Melbourne civic works projects as he gave evidence to the Victorian Royal Commissions on the River and Harbour Trust in 1858 and 1860, and to the Select Committees on the Railway Department in 1860 and on the Central Railway Terminus in 1861 and in the same year was a member of the Royal Society of Victoria's Sanitary Committee.
Bell was City Engineer for the City of Sydney, Australia from about 1871 to 1879, a member of the Sewerage and Health Board, and was responsible for improving the storage capacity of the Botany watershed and planned a system for sewering the city in the direction of Bondi.
Bell was the sixth son of John Bell, of Belfast, Ireland. He was married on 17 June 1858 at the Cathedral, Newcastle, New South Wales
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
to Jane E. Livingstone, youngest daughter of Captain Livingstone of Newcastle. In May 1872 he was living in St. Leonards, on the North Shore of Sydney, when his wife gave birth to a daughter. His youngest daughter married Charles Wade, who, amongst other things, became premier of NSW in 1907, was the Agent-General for NSW in 1917, and was knighted in 1918.
Francis Bell died in 1879 at his residence in Petersham, New South Wales, and was buried at the Necropolis.