William Kirtley
Encyclopedia
William Kirtley was the Locomotive Superintendent of the London Chatham and Dover Railway (LCDR) in England
from 1874 until the merger to form the South Eastern and Chatham Railway
at the end of 1898.
in 1840, the son of the locomotive engineer Thomas Kirtley
(1810–1847). He was educated by his uncle Matthew Kirtley
, Locomotive Superintendent of the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway
and later of the Midland Railway
, following his father's premature death. He served as a pupil at Derby Works
from 1854–1860, and from 1861 to 1864 he was Running foreman for the Midland Railway for the London District. In 1864 he was appointed superintendent of Derby Works
. In 1874 he was appointed Carriage and Wagon Superintendent on the LCDR following the death of William Martley, and served until the merger to form the South Eastern and Chatham Railway
at the end of 1898, when he retired. He also served as consultant to the Hull and Barnsley Railway
between 1883 and 1885, prior to the opening of the line.
and once again used it for new locomotive construction. He also introduced a new livery, numbering scheme and locomotive classification scheme to the railway. The railway under Kirtley was also one of the pioneers in using continuous braking by means of Westinghouse air brakes
.
suburban tanks of the A, A1, A2, R
, and R1
classes; Six coupled
goods classes B, B1, and B2 classes; six coupled tanks of the T class; and 4-4-0
express passenger locomotives of the M, M1, M2 and M3 classes.
Whilst working as a consultant for the Hull and Barnsley Railway he also designed twelve six coupled
tank locomotives and twenty tender locomotives to similar designs and ten 2-4-0
s.
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...
from 1874 until the merger to form the South Eastern and Chatham Railway
South Eastern and Chatham Railway
The South Eastern and Chatham Railway Companies Joint Management Committee , known by its shorter name of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway was a working union of two neighbouring rival railways, the South Eastern Railway and London, Chatham and Dover Railway , that operated services between...
at the end of 1898.
Biography
William was born in WarringtonWarrington
Warrington is a town, borough and unitary authority area of Cheshire, England. It stands on the banks of the River Mersey, which is tidal to the west of the weir at Howley. It lies 16 miles east of Liverpool, 19 miles west of Manchester and 8 miles south of St Helens...
in 1840, the son of the locomotive engineer Thomas Kirtley
Thomas Kirtley
Thomas Kirtley was locomotive superintendent of the North Midland Railway and later the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway.-Biography:...
(1810–1847). He was educated by his uncle Matthew Kirtley
Matthew Kirtley
Matthew Kirtley was an important early locomotive engineer. His brother Thomas Kirtley was also a locomotive engineer as was his nephew, William Kirtley, who served as locomotive superintendent on the London, Chatham and Dover Railway, 1874-1898.Kirtley was born in February 1813 at Tanfield,...
, Locomotive Superintendent of the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway
Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway
The Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway was a British railway company. From Birmingham it connected at Derby with the North Midland Railway and the Midland Counties Railway at what became known as the Tri Junct Station...
and later 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....
, following his father's premature death. He served as a pupil at Derby Works
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:...
from 1854–1860, and from 1861 to 1864 he was Running foreman for the Midland Railway for the London District. In 1864 he was appointed superintendent of Derby Works
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 1874 he was appointed Carriage and Wagon Superintendent on the LCDR following the death of William Martley, and served until the merger to form the South Eastern and Chatham Railway
South Eastern and Chatham Railway
The South Eastern and Chatham Railway Companies Joint Management Committee , known by its shorter name of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway was a working union of two neighbouring rival railways, the South Eastern Railway and London, Chatham and Dover Railway , that operated services between...
at the end of 1898, when he retired. He also served as consultant to the Hull and Barnsley Railway
Hull and Barnsley Railway
The Hull Barnsley & West Riding Junction Railway and Dock Company was opened on 20 July 1885. It had a total projected length of 66 miles but never reached Barnsley, stopping a few miles short at Stairfoot. The name was changed to The Hull and Barnsley Railway in 1905...
between 1883 and 1885, prior to the opening of the line.
London Chatham & Dover Railway Career
During his period at the LCDR Kirtley extended Longhedge Railway Works (Battersea)Longhedge Railway Works (Battersea)
Longhedge railway works was a locomotive and carriage works built by the London, Chatham and Dover Railway in the borough of Battersea, South London to serve their new London terminus at Victoria...
and once again used it for new locomotive construction. He also introduced a new livery, numbering scheme and locomotive classification scheme to the railway. The railway under Kirtley was also one of the pioneers in using continuous braking by means of Westinghouse air brakes
Westinghouse Air Brake Company
The railway air brake was invented by George Westinghouse of New York state in 1869. Soon after, he moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he established the Westinghouse Air Brake Company on September 28, 1869...
.
Locomotives
According to D.L. Bradley, Kirtley's locomotives were “well designed, robustly constructed, easily maintained, and capable of high mileages between general repairs. For the period their coal, water and old consumption was moderate while all perfored their daily tasks well.” His classes included 0-4-40-4-4
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-4-4 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles, and four trailing wheels on two axles...
suburban tanks of the A, A1, A2, R
LCDR R class
The LCDR R class was a class of 0-4-4T locomotives on the London, Chatham and Dover Railway . No. 207 is notable as being the last former LCDR locomotive to be withdrawn from service.-History:...
, and R1
LCDR R1 class
The LCDR R1 class was a class of 0-4-4T locomotives on the South Eastern and Chatham Railway, which were based on an existing London, Chatham and Dover Railway design.-History:...
classes; Six coupled
0-6-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels...
goods classes B, B1, and B2 classes; six coupled tanks of the T class; and 4-4-0
4-4-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-4-0 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles, and no trailing wheels...
express passenger locomotives of the M, M1, M2 and M3 classes.
Whilst working as a consultant for the Hull and Barnsley Railway he also designed twelve six coupled
0-6-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels...
tank locomotives and twenty tender locomotives to similar designs and ten 2-4-0
2-4-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-4-0 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles, and no trailing wheels....
s.