FAMOUS ENGINE-BUILDER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13235, 21 July 1906, Page 2 (Supplement)

FAMOUS ENGINE-BUILDER.

DEATH OF A MAN WHO DESIGNED

; -4000 LOCOMOTIVES.; By the death of Mr. Francis. William Webb, which has, occurred at Bournemouth, at the age of 71, there has passed away one of the most famous constructors of railway locomotives, who was responsible for the design and buikling of,upwards of 4000 engines for the London and North-Western railway. Less than four years ago Mr. Webb decided to sever his association with the Crewe works, which had begun as long since as 1851. The son of a Staffordshire clergyman,, ; he became in that year a pupil of Mr. Francis Trevithick, who was the first locomotive superintendent of. the London and NorthWestern Railway,' and the son of Richard Trevithick, the " father of the locomotive," whose first steam coach was exhibited a century since on the site of-what is now Euston station. The connection thus.formed continued unbroken, except for a period of five years, when he was manager of the Bolton Iron'and Steel Works, until 1 1902, the pupil becoming successively chief draughtsman and works.manager,"and finally, in 1871, chief mechanical engineer. At the time of his retirement it was stated that, in this last capacity Mir. Webb received a salary of £7000 a year, but he obtained no royalties on the many inventions which he patented and which were used at the Crewe; works. During this; long period of service he Avas respond sible for the design of all the locomotives used on the North-Western system, and all the mechanical equipment, of the line, and "his name will always be associated with the three-cylindered compound type of engine; which has been alternately praised and decried. One of the best performances of his engines, was that of the Hardwicke,Which, as the eight a.m.!express from Euston to Aberdeen, ran from ' Crewe to ; Carlisle, 141-{ mile's, at a speed j of 67.2 miles ail hour. A most .remark- I able engine of Mr! Webb's design was the j famous four-coupled three-axle locomotive Charles Dickens. ! Built in 1882;. in the first nine years and 219 days of its career it had run one million -miles, arid op August 5, 1902, it completed 2,000,000 miles, having taken express -trains betweri London and Manchester on 5312 occasions. !