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William Adams (locomotive engineer)
Encyclopedia
William Adams was the Locomotive Superintendent of the North London Railway
from 1858 to 1873; the Great Eastern Railway
from 1873 until 1878 and the London and South Western Railway
from then until his retirement in 1895. He is best known for his locomotives
featuring the Adams bogie
, a device with lateral centering springs (initially made of rubber) to improve high-speed stability. He should not be mistaken for William Bridges Adams
(1797-1872) a locomotive engineer who, confusingly, invented the Adams axle
— a radial axle
that William Adams incorporated in designs for the London and South Western Railway.
, London
, where his father was resident engineer of the nearby East and West India Docks
Company. After private schooling in Margate
, Kent
he was apprenticed to his father's works. The railway surveyor Charles Vignoles had previously worked on the construction of the London dock basins and this association then secured a position for Adams as an assistant in his drawing office. The final years of apprenticeship were spent at the Orchard Wharf works of Miller & Ravenhill, builders of engines for steamships.
In 1848 Adams became assistant works manager for Philip Taylor, an ironfounder, millwright and former assistant to Marc Brunel, who had set up workshops in Marseilles and Genoa
to build and install marine engines. Fluent in French and Italian, Adams soon found himself effectively the superintendent engineer for the Royal Sardinian Navy, although still nominally working for Taylor. (The Kingdom of Sardinia
then encompassed Genoa and much of what is now north-west Italy.) In 1852 he married Isabella Park, the daughter of another English millwright working in Genoa, and returned to England.
On his return to England Adams initially worked as a surveyor: considering possible routes for a railway on the Isle of Wight
, overseeing construction work at Cardiff Docks and planning and equipping new workshops at Bow
for the East & West India Docks & Birmingham Junction Railway
, soon to change its name to the North London Railway. This led to his appointment as the company's locomotive engineer in 1854, a post he held for eighteen years. Here he introduced his noted series of 4-4-0 tank engines, the first to utilise the laterally-sprung bogie, and the first continuous train brake.
In 1873 Adams took up a similar position with the nearby Great Eastern Railway (GER). There he did not well appreciate the different requirements of the line, a far-flung concern compared with the North London, and his locomotive designs for the company were found to be underpowered for main-line work. However his refitting of the company's Stratford works using modern, standardised equipment saved a great deal of money and, when he left for the London and South Western Railway in 1878, his reputation was intact.
Adams produced five locomotive designs for the GER, including two sizes of suburban passenger tank engine, an express passenger class, and a design for heavy coal traffic. This last, the 527 class
, was the first 2-6-0 to be built for service in Britain, although they did not enter service until his successor Massey Bromley
had taken office and incorporated some modifications to the design.
On the LSWR he designed 524 locomotives, supervised the expansion of Nine Elms
Works and the transfer of the Carriage and Wagon Works to Eastleigh
. Failing health forced his retirement on 29 May 1895. He lived in Putney
until his death on 7 August 1904.
North London Railway
The North London Railway was a railway company that opened lines connecting the north of London to the East and West India Docks. The main east to west route is now part the North London Line. Other lines operated by the company fell into disuse, but were later revived as part of the Docklands...
from 1858 to 1873; the Great Eastern Railway
Great Eastern Railway
The Great Eastern Railway was a pre-grouping British railway company, whose main line linked London Liverpool Street to Norwich and which had other lines through East Anglia...
from 1873 until 1878 and the London and South Western Railway
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...
from then until his retirement in 1895. He is best known for his locomotives
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
featuring the Adams bogie
Bogie
A bogie is a wheeled wagon or trolley. In mechanics terms, a bogie is a chassis or framework carrying wheels, attached to a vehicle. It can be fixed in place, as on a cargo truck, mounted on a swivel, as on a railway carriage/car or locomotive, or sprung as in the suspension of a caterpillar...
, a device with lateral centering springs (initially made of rubber) to improve high-speed stability. He should not be mistaken for William Bridges Adams
William Bridges Adams
William Bridges Adams was an author, inventor and locomotive engineer.-Overview:He is best known for his patented Adams Axle — a successful radial axle design in use on railways in Britain until the end of steam traction in 1968 — and the railway fishplate...
(1797-1872) a locomotive engineer who, confusingly, invented the Adams axle
Adams axle
The Adams axle is a form of radial axle for rail locomotives that enable them to negotiate curves more easily. It was invented by William Bridges Adams and patented in 1865. The invention uses axle boxes that slide on an arc in shaped horn blocks, so allowing the axle to slide out to either side...
— a radial axle
Radial axle
A radial axle is an axle on a railway locomotive or carriage which has been designed to move laterally when entering a curve in order to reduce the flange and rail wear....
that William Adams incorporated in designs for the London and South Western Railway.
History
Adams was born on 15 October 1823 in Mill Place, LimehouseLimehouse
Limehouse is a place in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is on the northern bank of the River Thames opposite Rotherhithe and between Ratcliff to the west and Millwall to the east....
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, where his father was resident engineer of the nearby East and West India Docks
East India Docks
The East India Docks was a group of docks in Blackwall, east London, north-east of the Isle of Dogs. Today only the entrance basin remains.-History:...
Company. After private schooling in Margate
Margate
-Demography:As of the 2001 UK census, Margate had a population of 40,386.The ethnicity of the town was 97.1% white, 1.0% mixed race, 0.5% black, 0.8% Asian, 0.6% Chinese or other ethnicity....
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
he was apprenticed to his father's works. The railway surveyor Charles Vignoles had previously worked on the construction of the London dock basins and this association then secured a position for Adams as an assistant in his drawing office. The final years of apprenticeship were spent at the Orchard Wharf works of Miller & Ravenhill, builders of engines for steamships.
In 1848 Adams became assistant works manager for Philip Taylor, an ironfounder, millwright and former assistant to Marc Brunel, who had set up workshops in Marseilles and Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
to build and install marine engines. Fluent in French and Italian, Adams soon found himself effectively the superintendent engineer for the Royal Sardinian Navy, although still nominally working for Taylor. (The Kingdom of Sardinia
Kingdom of Sardinia
The Kingdom of Sardinia consisted of the island of Sardinia first as a part of the Crown of Aragon and subsequently the Spanish Empire , and second as a part of the composite state of the House of Savoy . Its capital was originally Cagliari, in the south of the island, and later Turin, on the...
then encompassed Genoa and much of what is now north-west Italy.) In 1852 he married Isabella Park, the daughter of another English millwright working in Genoa, and returned to England.
On his return to England Adams initially worked as a surveyor: considering possible routes for a railway on the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
, overseeing construction work at Cardiff Docks and planning and equipping new workshops at Bow
Bow, London
Bow is an area of London, England, United Kingdom in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is a built-up, mostly residential district located east of Charing Cross, and is a part of the East End.-Bridges at Bowe:...
for the East & West India Docks & Birmingham Junction Railway
North London Railway
The North London Railway was a railway company that opened lines connecting the north of London to the East and West India Docks. The main east to west route is now part the North London Line. Other lines operated by the company fell into disuse, but were later revived as part of the Docklands...
, soon to change its name to the North London Railway. This led to his appointment as the company's locomotive engineer in 1854, a post he held for eighteen years. Here he introduced his noted series of 4-4-0 tank engines, the first to utilise the laterally-sprung bogie, and the first continuous train brake.
In 1873 Adams took up a similar position with the nearby Great Eastern Railway (GER). There he did not well appreciate the different requirements of the line, a far-flung concern compared with the North London, and his locomotive designs for the company were found to be underpowered for main-line work. However his refitting of the company's Stratford works using modern, standardised equipment saved a great deal of money and, when he left for the London and South Western Railway in 1878, his reputation was intact.
Adams produced five locomotive designs for the GER, including two sizes of suburban passenger tank engine, an express passenger class, and a design for heavy coal traffic. This last, the 527 class
GER Class 527
The GER Class 527 was a class of fifteen 2-6-0 steam tender locomotives designed by William Adams for the Great Eastern Railway.- Overview :In order to haul heavier trains and compete for the coal traffic into London, the GER asked William Adams to design a locomotive capable of hauling a train of...
, was the first 2-6-0 to be built for service in Britain, although they did not enter service until his successor Massey Bromley
Massey Bromley
Massey Bromley was Chief Mechanical Engineer of the Great Eastern Railway from 1878-1881.He was killed in the Penistone rail crash of 1884.-External links:* – LNER Encyclopedia* – steamindex.com...
had taken office and incorporated some modifications to the design.
On the LSWR he designed 524 locomotives, supervised the expansion of Nine Elms
Nine Elms
Nine Elms is a suburb of London, situated in the far north-eastern corner of the London Borough of Wandsworth between Battersea and Vauxhall.It is primarily an industrial area, dominated by Battersea Power Station, Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, railway lines, a major Royal Mail sorting office and...
Works and the transfer of the Carriage and Wagon Works to Eastleigh
Eastleigh
Eastleigh is a railway town in Hampshire, England, and the main town in the Eastleigh borough which is part of Southampton Urban Area. The town lies between Southampton and Winchester, and is part of the South Hampshire conurbation...
. Failing health forced his retirement on 29 May 1895. He lived in Putney
Putney
Putney is a district in south-west London, England, located in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It is situated south-west of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
until his death on 7 August 1904.
North London
- see: Locomotives of the North London Railway
Great Eastern
- 61 class 0-4-4T
- 265 class 4-4-0
- K9 class 0-4-2T
- 230 class 0-4-0T
- 527 classGER Class 527The GER Class 527 was a class of fifteen 2-6-0 steam tender locomotives designed by William Adams for the Great Eastern Railway.- Overview :In order to haul heavier trains and compete for the coal traffic into London, the GER asked William Adams to design a locomotive capable of hauling a train of...
2-6-0
LSWR
- 380 class 4-4-0
- 135 class 4-4-0
- 395 classLSWR 395 class-On the LSWR 1881-1923:The LSWR 395 class was a class of goods 0-6-0 steam locomotives designed for the London and South Western Railway by William Adams as part of his modernisation programme. All 70 were constructed by Neilson and Company between 1881 and 1886...
0-6-0 - 46 classLSWR 46 classThe LSWR 46 Class was a class of 4-4-0 passenger tank locomotive designed by William Adams for the London and South Western Railway. None have survived into preservation.-Background:...
4-4-0T (later rebuilt as 4-4-2T) - 415 classLSWR 415 classThe LSWR 415 class is a steam tank locomotive of 4-4-2T wheel arrangement, with the trailing wheels forming the basis of its "Radial Tank" moniker. It was designed by William Adams and introduced in 1882 for service on the London and South Western Railway .Originally rostered for suburban traffic,...
4-4-2T "Radial tanks" (noted for their long service on the Lyme Regis branch line). - 445 classLSWR 445 classThe LSWR 445 class was a class of express passenger 4-4-0 steam locomotives designed for the London and South Western Railway by William Adams. Twelve were constructed by Robert Stephenson and Company in 1883....
4-4-0 - 460 classLSWR 460 classThe LSWR 460 class was a class of express passenger 4-4-0 steam locomotives designed for the London and South Western Railway by William Adams. Twenty were constructed by Neilson and Company and Robert Stephenson and Company in 1884, and one in 1887....
4-4-0 - A12 classLSWR A12 ClassThe A12 locomotives of the London and South Western Railway were built between the years 1887 and 1895 to the design of William Adams. Ninety of the locomotives were built; numbered 527-556 ; 607-646 The A12 locomotives of the London and South Western Railway were built between the years 1887 and...
0-4-2 "Jubilees" - T1 class 0-4-4T
- O2 classLSWR O2 ClassThe LSWR O2 Class is a class of 0-4-4T steam locomotive designed for the London and South Western Railway by William Adams. Sixty were constructed during the late nineteenth century.-Background:...
0-4-4T - X2 classLSWR X2 classThe LSWR X2 class was a class of express passenger 4-4-0 steam locomotives designed for the London and South Western Railway by William Adams. Twenty were constructed at Nine Elms Locomotive Works between 1880–1882....
4-4-0 - T3 classLSWR T3 classThe LSWR T3 class was a class of express passenger 4-4-0 steam locomotives designed for the London and South Western Railway by William Adams. Twenty were constructed between 1892–1893....
4-4-0 - B4 classLSWR B4 ClassThe London and South Western Railway B4 class is a class of 0-4-0T dock tank.The London and South Western Railway's built twenty to a design by their Locomotive Superintendent William Adams at its Nine Elms Works during the 1891–1893 period...
0-4-0T - G6 classLSWR G6 classThe LSWR G6 class was an 0-6-0 tank locomotive designed by William Adams for the London and South Western Railway.- Background :The late nineteenth century was a troubled period for the LSWR due to frequent motive power shortages brought about by employing a collection of ageing locomotives in an...
0-6-0T - T6 classLSWR T6 classThe LSWR T6 class was a class of express passenger 4-4-0 steam locomotives designed for the London and South Western Railway by William Adams. Ten were constructed at Nine Elms Locomotive Works between 1885–1886....
4-4-0 - X6 classLSWR X6 classThe LSWR X6 class was a class of express passenger 4-4-0 steam locomotives designed for the London and South Western Railway by William Adams. Ten were constructed at Nine Elms Locomotive Works between 1885–1886....
4-4-0