Joseph Hamilton Beattie
Encyclopedia
Joseph Hamilton Beattie was a locomotive engineer with the London and South Western Railway
.
Beattie was a highly innovative engineer, introducing the country's first successful 2-4-0 locomotive, pioneering coal-burning fireboxes, feedwater heating and balanced slide valves. His locomotives were amongst the most efficient of the time. Three of his most famous locomotive design, the 0298 Class
2-4-0 well tanks, were in service for 88 years, until 1962. 2 have been preserved - see the Swanage Railway
, Bodmin & Wenford Railway and the National Railway Museum
, York
.
Joseph Beattie was born in Ireland
on 12 May 1808. He was educated in Belfast
and initially apprenticed to his father, a Derry
architect. He moved to England in 1835 to serve as an assistant to Joseph Locke
on the Grand Junction Railway
and from 1837 on the London and Southampton Railway. After the line opened he became the carriage and wagon superintendent at Nine Elms
and succeeded John Viret Gooch
as locomotive engineer on 1 July 1850.
Initially he designed a series of singles, but the weight of the Southampton
and Salisbury
expresses led to the development of 2-4-0s. He continued to develop the design over the next 20 years. In addition he developed a series of 85 2-4-0 well tanks and 0-6-0s.
Since the Rainhill Trials
in 1829, it had been accepted that the smoke emitted by burning coal
was a nuisance. Railway companies accepted the need to burn coke
(a smokeless fuel) in their locomotives, but this was much more expensive than coal, and several locomotive engineers sought a method by which coal could be burned smokelessly. One such engineer was Beattie, who designed a boiler suitable for coal in 1853.
On 18 October 1871, Beattie died of diphtheria
and was succeeded as locomotive engineer by his son William George Beattie
.
London and South Western Railway
The London and South Western Railway was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Its network extended from London to Plymouth via Salisbury and Exeter, with branches to Ilfracombe and Padstow and via Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth. It also had many routes connecting towns in...
.
Beattie was a highly innovative engineer, introducing the country's first successful 2-4-0 locomotive, pioneering coal-burning fireboxes, feedwater heating and balanced slide valves. His locomotives were amongst the most efficient of the time. Three of his most famous locomotive design, the 0298 Class
LSWR 0298 Class
The London and South Western Railway 0298 Class or Beattie Well Tank is a class of British steam locomotive. They are 2-4-0WT well tanks, originally built between 1863 and 1875 for use on passenger services in the suburbs of London, but later used on rural services in South West England...
2-4-0 well tanks, were in service for 88 years, until 1962. 2 have been preserved - see the Swanage Railway
Swanage Railway
The Swanage Railway is a long heritage railway in the Purbeck district of Dorset, England. The railway follows the route of the Purbeck branch line between Norden railway station, Corfe Castle railway station, Harman's Cross railway station, Herston Halt railway station and Swanage...
, Bodmin & Wenford Railway and the National Railway Museum
National Railway Museum
The National Railway Museum is a museum in York forming part of the British National Museum of Science and Industry and telling the story of rail transport in Britain and its impact on society. It has won many awards, including the European Museum of the Year Award in 2001...
, York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
.
Joseph Beattie was born in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
on 12 May 1808. He was educated in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
and initially apprenticed to his father, a Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
architect. He moved to England in 1835 to serve as an assistant to Joseph Locke
Joseph Locke
Joseph Locke was a notable English civil engineer of the 19th century, particularly associated with railway projects...
on the Grand Junction Railway
Grand Junction Railway
The Grand Junction Railway was an early railway company in the United Kingdom, which existed between 1833 and 1846 when it was merged into the London and North Western Railway...
and from 1837 on the London and Southampton Railway. After the line opened he became the carriage and wagon superintendent at Nine Elms
Nine Elms Locomotive Works
Nine Elms locomotive works were built in 1839 by the London and South Western Railway adjoining their passenger terminus near the Vauxhall end of Nine Elms Lane, in the district of Nine Elms in the London Borough of Battersea. They were rebuilt in 1841 and remained the principal locomotive...
and succeeded John Viret Gooch
John Viret Gooch
John Viret Gooch was the locomotive superintendent of the London and South Western Railway from 1841 to 1850. He was the brother of Sir Daniel Gooch, 1st Baronet , who was the first Locomotive Superintendent of the Great Western Railway from 1837 to 1864 and its Chairman from 1865 to...
as locomotive engineer on 1 July 1850.
Initially he designed a series of singles, but the weight of the Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
and Salisbury
Salisbury
Salisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England and the only city in the county. It is the second largest settlement in the county...
expresses led to the development of 2-4-0s. He continued to develop the design over the next 20 years. In addition he developed a series of 85 2-4-0 well tanks and 0-6-0s.
Since the Rainhill Trials
Rainhill Trials
The Rainhill Trials were an important competition in the early days of steam locomotive railways, run in October 1829 in Rainhill, Lancashire for the nearly completed Liverpool and Manchester Railway....
in 1829, it had been accepted that the smoke emitted by burning coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
was a nuisance. Railway companies accepted the need to burn coke
Coke (fuel)
Coke is the solid carbonaceous material derived from destructive distillation of low-ash, low-sulfur bituminous coal. Cokes from coal are grey, hard, and porous. While coke can be formed naturally, the commonly used form is man-made.- History :...
(a smokeless fuel) in their locomotives, but this was much more expensive than coal, and several locomotive engineers sought a method by which coal could be burned smokelessly. One such engineer was Beattie, who designed a boiler suitable for coal in 1853.
On 18 October 1871, Beattie died of diphtheria
Diphtheria
Diphtheria is an upper respiratory tract illness caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae, a facultative anaerobic, Gram-positive bacterium. It is characterized by sore throat, low fever, and an adherent membrane on the tonsils, pharynx, and/or nasal cavity...
and was succeeded as locomotive engineer by his son William George Beattie
William George Beattie
William George Beattie, locomotive engineer, was the son of Joseph Hamilton Beattie. He joined the London and South Western Railway in 1862 as a draughtsman at Nine Elms Locomotive Works. He succeeded his father as Locomotive Engineer of the LSWR following Joseph's death in 1871. He was not however...
.