Beyer, Peacock and Company

NSWGR AD60 Class Locomotive Makers Plate

Beyer, Peacock and Company was an English railway Locomotive manufacturer with a factory in Gorton, Manchester. Founded by Charles Beyer, Richard Peacock and Henry Robertson, it traded from 1854 until 1966. It received limited liability in 1902, becoming Beyer, Peacock and Company Limited.

In 1854, the german born Charles Beyer resigned as head engineer at Atlas works (Sharp Roberts and Co). It was Beyer that was responsible for success of locomotive production at Atlas. He had trained under the guidance of the prolific inventor of cotton mill machinery, Richard Roberts.

Richard Peacock resigned from his position as chief engineer of the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway's locomotive works in Gorton in 1854. Confident in his ability to secure orders to build locomotives, Beyer’s resignation presented Peacock with a partnership opportunity. However, this was not a limited company and all partners were liable for debts should the business fail; in a mid-Victorian economic climate of boom and bust, it was a risky venture. Beyer could raise £9,524 (nearly £900,000 in 2015) and Peacock £5,500 but still required a loan from Charles Geach (founder of the Midland Bank, and first treasurer to the Institution of Mechanical Engineers). Beyer and Peacock were founder members of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. Unfortunately, Geach died, the loan was recalled and the whole project nearly died. To the rescue came Thomas Brassey who persuaded Henry Robertson to provide a £4,000 loan in return for being the third (sleeping) partner.[1]

"Beyer" Metropolitan Condensing Tank Engine. The pioneer motive power for London's underground. These were first built in 1871, and most were still running until electrification in 1905

Beyer appointed and worked closely with Hermann Ludwig Lange (1837–92), in 1861. A native of his home town, Plauen, Saxony (now Germany), Langer trained as an engineer in Germany, became chief draughtsman in 1865, and chief engineer after Beyer`s death. Langer was heavily involved in the development of the world's first successful condensing locomotives for the Metropolitan Railway, This 4-4-0 tank engine can, therefore be considered as the pioneer motive power on London's Underground London's first underground railway[8]. These locomotives proved to be extremely successful and 148 were built between 1864 and1886 to various railways in including the District Railway, London, in 1871. Most still running until electrification in 1905.[1]

Beyer-Peacock exported locomotives and machine tools to service them all over the world

Important designs were the Garratt articulated locomotives widely used in Africa, notably on South and East African Railways, and Australia and the 4-4-0 tank locomotives used on the Metropolitan and District Railways in London from 1864 until electrification in 1905. They also built 2-4-0 tank locomotives for 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) lines in Norway and the famous Manx Peacock design for the 3 ft (914 mm) gauge Isle of Man Railway

The first Garratt locomotive constructed was TGR K class for the Tasmanian Government Railways on the western Tasmanian North East Dundas Tramway; K1 is now preserved on the Welsh Highland Railway together with the last Garratt Beyer Peacock built SAR NGG 16 Class No.143. Four New South Wales Government Railways AD60 Class Beyer-Garratt Patent locomotives are preserved being the most powerful steam locomotives in the southern hemisphere when introduced.

Gorton Foundry was on the opposite (south) side of the railway line to the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway works at Gorton. Between 1855 and 1966, the company built nearly 8,000 railway locomotives. Several of their 1874-built steam locomotives for the Isle of Man Railway remain in daily use. A Gorton-built South African Railways GL class Beyer-Garratt locomotive is on display in the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester.

In addition to building steam locomotives, Beyer, Peacock & Co. also built the 10 British Rail Class 82, 25 kV AC electric locomotives to a Metropolitan-Vickers design, the 101 BR Class 35 diesel hydraulic locomotives, and, the last of all built, BR Class 25/3 diesel-electrics. They also collaborated with Metropolitan Vickers in building the Western Australia Government Railways X class, diesel electric locomotives, and the New South Wales 46 class, 1500 V DC electric locomotives at Bowesfield Works, Stockton-on-Tees.

NSWGR AD60 Class Locomotive Beyer-Garratt Fittings and Controls

Gorton Foundry

The foundry was at Openshaw near Manchester, England, and was built in 1854 and designed mainly by Beyer. The site was chosen because land was cheaper than in the city and had good water supply from a local reservoir (It should not be confused with the Gorton locomotive works of the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway, locally known as Gorton Tank which was on the north side of the railway line, which had been built by Richard Peacock, when he was chief engineer, before he resigned and joined forces with Beyer to form Beyer-Peacock.). Beyer had designed the works so it always allowed room for expansion. In its 112 year history no buildings needed to be demolished as the works developed.

In 2012 the former boiler-shop remains in use, as the Hammerstone Road Depot of Manchester City Council.

Locomotives produced

Steam

Conventional

Beyer-Peacock Madras Railway 0-4-2, 1860
WAGR G Class 4-6-0 in the 1940s

Beyer-Garratts

Steam turbine

Beyer-Ljungstrom Turbine Locomotive The Beyer-Ljungstrom Turbine Locomotive

Diesel

Beyer-Peacock Hymec built Gorton foundry c.1960

Electric

Preserved locomotives

Steam locomotives

Preserved Locomotives
BP No. Built Company built for Locomotive number Class Wheel arrangement Preserved at
33 1856 Statens Järnvägar 3 (43) Prins August B 2-4-0 On display at Swedish Railway Museum, Gävle
239 1861 Statens Järnvägar 22 (506) Thor Ä(Qä) 0-4-2T On display at Swedish Railway Museum, Gävle
533 1865 Maatschappij tot Exploitatie van Staatsspoorwegen 13 (NS 705) 9-16 2-4-0 On display at Dutch Railway Museum, Utrecht
710 1866 Metropolitan Railway 23 A 4-4-0T London Transport Museum, at Covent Garden
627 1866 Statens järnvägar 75 Göta A(Aa) 2-2-2 On display at Swedish Railway Museum, Gävle
809 1867 Statens järnvägar 93 Jernsida G(Gc) 0-6-0 Nynäs, Swedish Railway Museum, Gävle, see 1442
846 1868 St. Petersburg & Helsingfors Railway 9 B1 0-4-2T Finnish Railway Museum, Hyvinkää
1255 1873 Isle of Man Railway 1 Sutherland 2-4-0T Stored pending rebuild (Isle of Man Railway)
1255 1873 Isle of Man Railway 3 Pender 2-4-0T On display at the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry (sectioned exhibit)
1416 1874 Isle of Man Railway 4 Loch 2-4-0T In service (Isle of Man Steam Railway)
1417 1874 Isle of Man Railway 5 Mona 2-4-0T Stored (Isle of Man Railway)
1442 1867 Statens järnvägar 161 Wik G(Gc) 0-6-0 Nynäs, Swedish Railway Museum, Gävle marked Gc 93
1524 1875 Isle of Man Railway 6 Peveril 2-4-0T On display at the Port Erin Railway Museum
1647 1877 NSW Government Railways 1905 Z19 0-6-0 New South Wales Rail Transport Museum
1827 1879 Beyer, Peacock and Company 1827 0-4-0ST Operational at Foxfield Railway
1933 1880 Bergslagernas Järnvägar 27 K 0-6-0 Nynäs, Swedish Railway Museum, Gävle
2028 1880 Manx Northern Railway 3 Thornhill 2-4-0T Privately preserved (Isle of Man)
2038 1880 Isle of Man Railway 7 Tynwald 2-4-0T Dismantled for spares. Frames moved to Southwold Railway
2101 1881 Maatschappij tot Exploitatie van Staatsspoorwegen 326 (NS 1326) 301-475 2-4-0 On display at Dutch Railway Museum, Utrecht
2254 1911 South Maitland Railways 10, 17–20, 22–28, 30–31 10 2-8-2T 2 Operational, 12 in
2601 1886 Mersey Railway/J. & A. Brown 1 The Major I 0-6-4T New South Wales Rail Transport Museum, Thirlmere, NSW, Australia
2605 1886 Mersey Railway 5 Cecil Raikes I 0-6-4T Museum of Liverpool
3402 1891 NSW Government Railways 3203 C32 4-6-0 New South Wales Rail Transport Museum
3413 1892 NSW Government Railways 3214 C32 4-6-0 Valley Heights Locomotive Depot Heritage Museum
3436 1892 NSW Government Railways 3237 C32 4-6-0 Operational, Lachlan Valley Railway
3610 1894 Isle of Man Railway 8 Fenella 2-4-0T In service (Isle of Man Railway)
3641 1894 Nippon Railway, Japan B104 B10 4-4-0 -> 4-4-2T Kominato Railway, Ichihara, Chiba, Japan
3815 1896 Isle of Man Railway 9 Douglas 2-4-0T Stored (Isle of Man Railway)
3911 1897 Nippon Railway, Japan 5540 5500 4-4-0 Ome Railway Park, Ome, Tokyo, Japan
4028 1898 Tobu Railway, Japan 5 B1 4-4-0 Tobu Museum, Sumida, Tokyo, Japan[2]
4029 1898 Tobu Railway, Japan 6 B1 4-4-0 Tobu Museum, Sumida, Tokyo, Japan[2]
4221 1901 NSW Government Railways 3265 Hunter C32 4-6-0 Operational, Powerhouse Museum
4372 1902 NSW Government Railways 5069 D50 2-8-0 Dorrigo Steam Railway and Museum
4662 1905 Isle of Man Railway 10 G. H. Wood 2-4-0T In service (Isle of Man Steam Railway)
4663 1905 Isle of Man Railway 11 Maitland 2-4-0T Stored pending rebuild (Isle of Man Railway)
4750 1906 Central Uruguay Railway 92 N 2-6-0 On display in bad shape (San José, Uruguay)
4751 1906 Central Uruguay Railway 93 N 2-6-0 On display (Young, Uruguay)
4943 1907 Central Uruguay Railway 96 N 2-6-0 On display (City bus terminal, Artigas, Uruguay)
5054 1908 NSW Government Railways 5112 D50 2-8-0 Bathurst
5074 1909 NSW Government Railways 5132 D50 2-8-0 Dorrigo Steam Railway and Museum
5126 1908 Isle of Man Railway 12 Hutchinson 2-4-0T In service (Isle of Man Steam Railway)
5292 1909 Tasmanian Government Railways K1 K 0-4-0+0-4-0 Welsh Highland Railway (Caernarfon)
5382 1910 Isle of Man Railway 13 Kissack 2-4-0T Awaiting new boiler (Isle of Man Railway)
5399 1910 Central Uruguay Railway 119 N3 2-6-0 In working order (CEFU, Montevideo, Uruguay)
5400 1910 Central Uruguay Railway 120 N3 2-6-0 In service (AUAR, Montevideo, Uruguay)
5807 1914 NSW Government Railways 3112 C30 4-6-4T Stored, Private ownership, Canberra
6296 1926 Isle of Man Railway 16 Mannin 2-4-0T On display at the Port Erin Railway Museum
6639 1930 South African Railways 2352 GL 4-8-2+2-8-4 Manchester Museum of Science and Industry
7531 1954 NSW Government Railways 6029 AD60 4-8-4+4-8-4 Canberra Railway Museum
7541 1956 NSW Government Railways 6039 AD60 4-8-4+4-8-4 Dorrigo Steam Railway & Museum
7542 1956 NSW Government Railways 6040 AD60 4-8-4+4-8-4 New South Wales Rail Transport Museum
7544 1956 NSW Government Railways 6042 AD60 4-8-4+4-8-4 Dorrigo Steam Railway & Museum
7863 1958 South African Railways NG138 NGG 16 2-6-2+2-6-2 Welsh Highland Railway (Caernarfon)
7865 1958 South African Railways NG140 NGG 16 2-6-2+2-6-2 Welsh Highland Railway (Caernarfon)
7868 1958 South African Railways NG143 NGG 16 2-6-2+2-6-2 Welsh Highland Railway (Caernarfon)

Diesel and electric locomotives

Preserved Locomotives
BP No. Built Company built for Locomotive number(s) Class Wheel arrangement Preserved at
1956 NSWGR 4601 46 Class Co-Co Valley Heights Locomotive Depot Heritage Museum
1956 NSWGR 4602 46 Class Co-Co Dorrigo Steam Railway and Museum
1956 NSWGR 4615 46 Class Co-Co Junee Roundhouse Museum on permanent loan from the Sydney Electric Train Society
1956 NSWGR 4617 46 Class Co-Co Privately owned, Junee (cab only)
1956 NSWGR 4627 46 Class Co-Co Sydney Electric Train Society
1956 NSWGR 4638 46 Class Co-Co New South Wales Rail Transport Museum, Broadmeadow Loco Depot[3]
1961 British Railways E3054, 82008 BR Class 82 Bo-Bo Barrow Hill Engine Shed
7911 1962 British Railways D7017 BR Class 35 Hymek B-B West Somerset Railway
7912 1962 British Railways D7018 BR Class 35 Hymek B-B West Somerset Railway
7923 1962 British Railways D7029 BR Class 35 Hymek B-B Severn Valley Railway
7980 1963 British Railways D7076 BR Class 35 Hymek B-B East Lancs Railway
8038 1965 British Railways D7628, 25278 Sybilla BR Class 25 Bo-Bo North Yorkshire Moors Railway - Operational
8039 1965 British Railways D7629, 25279 BR Class 25 Bo-Bo Great Central Railway (Nottingham) - Operational
8043 1965 British Railways D7633, 25283 BR Class 25 Bo-Bo Dean Forest Railway - Operational

See also

Notes

  1. Bruce, J Greame (1971). Steam to Silver. London: London Transport. ISBN 978-0853290124.
  2. 1 2 3 Tobu Museum exhibit guide Retrieved on 11 March 2009 (Japanese)
  3. "Veteran Electric Finds New Home as In-Traffic Units Face Uncertain Future" Railway Digest July 1998 page 10

References

  • Hills, R. L.; Patrick, D. (1982). Beyer, Peacock, locomotive builders to the world. Glossop: Transport Publishing Co. ISBN 0-903839-41-5. 

Bibliography

External links

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