Charles Bowen Cooke

Charles John Bowen Cooke
by James Peter Quinn (1869–1951)
Born	11 January 1859 Peterborough
Died	18 October 1920 (aged 61)
Nationality	English
Citizenship	British
Engineering career
Engineering discipline	Locomotive engineer
Employer(s)	London and North Western Railway
Significant design	LNWR Claughton Class

Charles John Bowen Cooke CBE (11 January 1859 – 18 October 1920) was born in Orton Longueville (then in Huntingdonshire) and was Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the London and North Western Railway (LNWR).^[1] He was the first to add superheating to the locomotives of the railway.^[2] He wrote a book called British locomotives: their history, construction; and modern development which was published in 1893,^[1] with a second edition in 1894, and third in 1899^[3][4] A second book, Developments in Locomotive Practice followed in 1902.^{[1] [5]}

Whilst CME of the LNWR he was responsible for the introduction of several new locomotive designs, including the George the Fifth and Claughton classes.^[1]

He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1918 New Year Honours for his efforts during the First World War.^[6]

He died on 18 October 1920 and is buried in the churchyard at St Just in Roseland, Cornwall.^[1]

References

1. Cooke, B.W.C., ed. (December 1963). "Notes and News: Bowen Cooke's grave". Railway Magazine (Westminster: Tothill Press) 110 (752): 125–6.
2. LNWR GeorgeV Locomotive Trust, retrieved 7 April 2013
3. British locomotives: their history, construction; and modern development., retrieved 7 April 2013
4. Bowen Cooke, Whale & Beames, retrieved 1 February 2015
5. Development in locomotive practice Author: C J Bowen Cooke, retrieved 7 April 2013
6. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 30460. p. 368. 7 January 1918.

External links

• Bowen Cooke, Whale & Beames at www.steamindex.com