Thomas Parker (engineer)

This article is about the locomotive engineer. For the electrical engineer and inventor, see Thomas Parker (inventor).

Thomas Parker (11 July 1829 – 25 November 1903)[1] was Locomotive, Carriage and Wagon Superintendent of the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway from 1886–1893. He introduced a new type of locomotive in Britain, which used a Belpaire firebox.

Life

He was born in Ayrshire in 1829, and began his career as an apprentice at the Greenock works of the Caledonian Railway.[1]

In 1858 he moved away from Scotland. At the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway he was Carriage and Wagon Superintendent at the railway's Gorton works. He was one of the first to construct 6-wheeled bogie coaches, and in 1885 he produced one of the first dining car designs in Britain.[1]

In 1886 he replaced Charles Reboul Sacre as locomotive, wagon and carriage superintendent.[1]

In 1891 he introduced the first locomotive on a British railway to use a Belpaire firebox, which had been used on export locomotives built by the neighbouring Beyer Peacock since 1872.[2]

The continuous vacuum brake and internal communication cord were introduced by the railway, gaining Board of Trade approval in 1893.[3]

He retired in 1893 and was succeeded by Harry Pollitt.

He died in Gorton in 1903.[1]

Sources

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Thomas Parker (1829-1903) Grace's Guide, accessed 29 July 2015.
  2. ↑ Lowe, James W (1975). British Steam Locomotive Builders. Cambridge: Goose and Son. ISBN 0-900404-21-3.
  3. ↑ Rolt, L. T. C. (1966) [1955]. Red for Danger. London: Pan. ISBN 0-330-20168-9.

External links


Business positions
Preceded by
Charles Sacré		 Locomotive, Carriage and Wagon Superintendent of the
Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway
1886-1893 		Succeeded by
Harry Pollitt


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