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Matthew Kirtley (6 February 1813 – 24 May 1873) was born at
In 1839 he was appointed first a locomotive foreman, and then in 1841
midlandrailway-butterley, Retrieved 13 February 2017 Hundreds of locomotives to his design existed, many of which were to last into the days of the
Matthew Kirtley
at steamindex English mechanical engineers English railway mechanical engineers Locomotive builders and designers Midland Railway people 1813 births 1873 deaths People from Tanfield, County Durham {{England-engineer-stub
Tanfield, Durham
Tanfield is a village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Stanley, County Durham, Stanley, in the County Durham (district), County Durham district, in the ceremonial county of County Durham, Durham, England. It is near Stanley, and the ...
. He was an important early locomotive engineer.
Career
Early years
At the age of thirteen he began work on theStockton and Darlington Railway
The Stockton and Darlington Railway (S&DR) was a railway company that operated in north-east England from 1825 to 1863. The world's first public railway to use steam locomotives, its first line connected coal mining, collieries near with ...
; he was fireman on the Liverpool and Manchester Railway
The Liverpool and Manchester Railway (L&MR) was the first inter-city railway in the world. It Opening of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, opened on 15 September 1830 between the Lancashire towns of Liverpool and Manchester in England. It ...
, and was present at its opening. Eventually he became a driver on the London and Birmingham Railway
The London and Birmingham Railway (L&BR) was a railway company in the United Kingdom, in operation from 1833 to 1846, when it became part of the London and North Western Railway (L&NWR).
The railway line which the company opened in 1838, betw ...
(L&BR). He is believed to have driven the first L&BR train (and the first main line train) to enter London.
Midland Railway
In 1839 he was appointed first a locomotive foreman, and then in 1841 Locomotive Superintendent
Chief mechanical engineer and locomotive superintendent are titles applied by British, Australian, and New Zealand railway companies to the person ultimately responsible to the board of the company for the building and maintaining of the locomotive ...
of the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway
The Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway (B&DJR) was a Great Britain, 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 Derby Midland Sta ...
. When that railway became one of the constituents of the Midland Railway
The Midland Railway (MR) was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 in rail transport, 1844. The Midland was one of the largest railway companies in Britain in the early 20th century, and the largest employer in Derby, where it had ...
, he became the Midland's Locomotive Superintendent. He was there Chief Mechanical Engineer from 1844 until he died in 1873.Matthew Kirtley Buildingmidlandrailway-butterley, Retrieved 13 February 2017 Hundreds of locomotives to his design existed, many of which were to last into the days of the
London, Midland and Scottish Railway
The London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMSIt has been argued that the initials LMSR should be used to be consistent with London and North Eastern Railway, LNER, Great Western Railway, GWR and Southern Railway (UK), SR. The London, Midland an ...
, some fifty years later.
Locomotive designs
* MR 179 class0-6-0
is the Whyte notation designation for steam locomotives with a wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels. Historically, this was the most common wheel arrangement used o ...
(1845)
* MR 137 class 2-4-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles and no trailing wheels. In most of North America it b ...
(1846)
* MR 240 class 0-6-0
is the Whyte notation designation for steam locomotives with a wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels. Historically, this was the most common wheel arrangement used o ...
(1850)
* MR 130 class 2-2-2
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-2-2 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, two powered driving wheels on one axle, and two trailing wheels on one axle. The wheel arrangement both ...
(1852)
* MR 270 class 0-6-0
is the Whyte notation designation for steam locomotives with a wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels. Historically, this was the most common wheel arrangement used o ...
(1852)
* MR 280 class 0-6-0
is the Whyte notation designation for steam locomotives with a wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels. Historically, this was the most common wheel arrangement used o ...
(1853)
* MR 222 class 0-6-0WT (1860)
* MR 1063 class 0-6-0WT (1860)
* MR 30 class 0-6-0ST
Steam tank locomotives of the 0-6-0 wheel arrangement in Whyte notation
The Whyte notation is a classification method for steam locomotives, and some internal combustion locomotives and electric locomotives, by wheel arrangement. It was d ...
(1862)
* MR 50 class 2-4-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles and no trailing wheels. In most of North America it b ...
(1862)
* MR 70 class 2-4-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles and no trailing wheels. In most of North America it b ...
(1862)
* MR 80 class 2-4-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles and no trailing wheels. In most of North America it b ...
(1862)
* MR 221 class 0-6-0ST
Steam tank locomotives of the 0-6-0 wheel arrangement in Whyte notation
The Whyte notation is a classification method for steam locomotives, and some internal combustion locomotives and electric locomotives, by wheel arrangement. It was d ...
(1863)
* MR 480 class 0-6-0
is the Whyte notation designation for steam locomotives with a wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels. Historically, this was the most common wheel arrangement used o ...
(1863)
* MR 101 class 2-4-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles and no trailing wheels. In most of North America it b ...
(1866)
* MR 156 class 2-4-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles and no trailing wheels. In most of North America it b ...
(1866)
* MR 170 class 2-4-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles and no trailing wheels. In most of North America it b ...
(1867)
* MR 204 class 4-4-0T (1868)
* MR 230 class 2-4-0T (1868)
* MR 690 class 0-4-4T
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. This type was only us ...
(1869)
* MR 700 class 0-6-0
is the Whyte notation designation for steam locomotives with a wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels. Historically, this was the most common wheel arrangement used o ...
(1869)
* MR 780 class 0-4-4T
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. This type was only us ...
(1870)
* MR 800 class 2-4-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles and no trailing wheels. In most of North America it b ...
(1870)
* MR 880 class 0-6-0T (1871)
* MR 890 class 2-4-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles and no trailing wheels. In most of North America it b ...
(1871)
* MR 2066 class 0-6-0WT (1873)
Family
Matthew Kirtley's brotherThomas Kirtley
Thomas Kirtley (20 February 1811 – 16 November 1847) was an English railway engineer, and was the locomotive superintendent of the North Midland Railway and later the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway.
Biography
He was born at Tanfield, ...
was also a locomotive engineer (on the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway
The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (LB&SCR (known also as the Brighton line, the Brighton Railway or the Brighton)) was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1846 to 1922. Its territory formed a rough triangle, with London at ...
(1847)) as was his nephew, William Kirtley William Kirtley may refer to:
* William Kirtley (railway engineer), English railway engineer
* William W. Kirtley, known as Bill, American anti-death penalty activist
* Bill Kirtley, English football goalkeeper
{{hndis, Kirtley, William ...
, who served as locomotive superintendent on the London, Chatham and Dover Railway
The London, Chatham and Dover Railway (LCDR or LC&DR) was a railway company in south-eastern England. It was created on 1 August 1859, when the East Kent Railway was given parliamentary approval to change its name. Its lines ran through Lond ...
, 1874-1898.
Legacy
The Midland Railway Trust’s collection of locomotives, carriages and wagon is housed in what is now named the Matthew Kirtley Building.References
External links
Matthew Kirtley
at steamindex English mechanical engineers English railway mechanical engineers Locomotive builders and designers Midland Railway people 1813 births 1873 deaths People from Tanfield, County Durham {{England-engineer-stub