Frederick Dale Banister
MICE
A mouse ( : mice) is a small rodent. Characteristically, mice are known to have a pointed snout, small rounded ears, a body-length scaly tail, and a high breeding rate. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse (''Mus musculus' ...
(15 March 1823 – 22 December 1897), was an English civil engineer, best known for his 35 years as the Chief Engineer of the
London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (LB&SCR).
[
]
Early life
Born in London on 15 March 1823, he was educated privately until his parents moved to Lancashire
Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly.
The non-metropolitan county of Lancashi ...
, where he completed his schooling at Preston Grammar School.[
Articled as an apprentice to John J. Myres of Preston when he was aged 15, he gained experience in surveying and levelling, and in the valuation of damage caused to various properties by the construction of railways.][
In 1844 he joined the civil engineering business of ]Charles Cawley
Charles Michael Cawley (August 15, 1940 – November 18, 2015) was a businessman and founding member of the bank MBNA. Born in Massachusetts, he was raised in New Jersey, was educated at Saint Benedict's Preparatory School and was a graduate of G ...
, and was directly responsible for setting out the first few miles of the Manchester, Bury and Rossendale Railway (MB&RR).[ The proposed route through the ]Irwell Valley
The Irwell Valley in North West England extends from the Forest of Rossendale through the cities of Salford and Manchester. The River Irwell runs through the valley, along with the River Croal.
Geology
Shallow seas covered most of south-east ...
was approved by the Chief Inspector of Railways Major General
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
Sir Charles W. Pasley on 23 September 1846.[ While undertaking the works, the MB&RR amalgamated with another proposed railway to form the ]East Lancashire Railway
East Lancashire Railway is a heritage railway line in North West England which runs between Heywood, Greater Manchester and Rawtenstall in Lancashire. There are intermediate stations at Bury Bolton Street railway station, Bury Bolton Street, ...
.[ Banister was subsequently placed in charge of preparing the surveys and necessary ]UK Parliament
The Parliament of the United Kingdom is the supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories. It meets at the Palace of Westminster, London. It alone possesses legislative supremac ...
submissions to extend the line, which hence became part of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway (L&YR) was a major British railway company before the 1923 Grouping. It was incorporated in 1847 from an amalgamation of several existing railways. It was the third-largest railway system based in northern ...
.
1846–1849: Move to Brighton, first period with the LB&SCR
In light of his continuing but minor health issues, he was strongly advised by his physician to move to the South Coast of England
Southern England, or the South of England, also known as the South, is an area of England consisting of its southernmost part, with cultural, economic and political differences from the Midlands and the North. Officially, the area includes ...
.[ With this in mind he took a period of leave with relatives in ]Brighton
Brighton () is a seaside resort and one of the two main areas of the City of Brighton and Hove in the county of East Sussex, England. It is located south of London.
Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze A ...
, East Sussex in the Spring of 1846, during which he happened to obtain an appointment with Robert Jacomb-Hood, then Chief Engineer of the LB&SCR.[
Appointed as an assistant engineer to Jacomb-Hood, he was placed in charge of the construction of the branchline from to the ]River Thames
The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the The Isis, River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the Longest rivers of the United Kingdom, se ...
at Deptford Wharf
Deptford Wharf in London, UK is situated on the Thames Path southeast of South Dock Marina, across the culverted mouth of the Earl's Sluice and north of Aragon Tower. In the late 18th and early 19th century this area was used for shipbuildi ...
, where he was to also design, survey and manage the construction of a new dock system to replace the 1844 closed Deptford dockyard
Deptford Dockyard was an important naval dockyard and base at Deptford on the River Thames, operated by the Royal Navy from the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries. It built and maintained warships for 350 years, and many significant events a ...
.
1849–1859: Civil Engineer and Architect
After completing the line in 1849, Banister retired from the railway to set up his own Civil Engineering and Architecture business in Brighton. Engaged mostly in works in and around the Brighton area, his most notable piece was to lay out and begin the development of the Cliftonville Estate in modern Hove
Hove is a seaside resort and one of the two main parts of the city of Brighton and Hove, along with Brighton in East Sussex, England. Originally a "small but ancient fishing village" surrounded by open farmland, it grew rapidly in the 19th cen ...
, the associated waterworks
Water supply is the provision of water by public utilities, commercial organisations, community endeavors or by individuals, usually via a system of pumps and pipes. Public water supply systems are crucial to properly functioning societies. Thes ...
(both later sold to the LB&SCR), and building of model dwellings for the labouring classes, along the lines of models set out by the Terry family
The Terry family was a British theatrical dynasty of the late 19th century and beyond. The family includes not only those members with the surname Terry, but also Neilsons, Craigs and Gielguds, to whom the Terrys were linked by marriage or blood ti ...
of York
York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...
and the Cadbury family at Bournville
Bournville () is a model village on the southwest side of Birmingham, England, founded by the Quaker Cadbury family for employees at its Cadbury's factory, and designed to be a "garden" (or "model") village where the sale of alcohol was forbidd ...
, Worcestershire.
1860–1896: Chief Engineer, LB&SCR
After Samuel Laing retired as chairman of the LB&SCR at the end of 1855 to pursue a political career, Deputy-Chairman Leo Schuster
Leopold Schuster (1791 – 27 February 1871) was a German-born British cotton trader turned merchant banker, best known as the Chairman of the London and Brighton Railway and then the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway, and part of the c ...
replaced him, instituting a policy of rapidly expanding new routes throughout South London
South London is the southern part of London, England, south of the River Thames. The region consists of the Districts of England, boroughs, in whole or in part, of London Borough of Bexley, Bexley, London Borough of Bromley, Bromley, London Borou ...
, Sussex, and East Surrey
East Surrey is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2019 by Claire Coutinho, a Conservative. The seat covers an affluent area in the English county of Surrey.
Since its creation in 1918, East Surrey has e ...
. Some of these routes were financed and built by the company itself, while others were built by independent local companies, set up with the intention of connecting their town to the growing railway network, and with the intention of sale or lease to the LB&SCR.
On the retirement of Jacomb-Hood in 1860, Schuster appointed Banister as Chief Resident Engineer to LB&SCR. While Banister's Civil Engineering and Architecture practice had been successful, he had always kept contact with the railway, undertaking sub-contract works for them where requested. Schuster resultantly accelerated the speed of mileage increase of the LB&SCR, adding a further of track between 1857 and 1865.[
The rapid growth of the LB&SCR came to a halt in 1866 with the collapse of London bankers ]Overend, Gurney and Company
Overend, Gurney & Company was a London wholesale discount bank, known as "the bankers' bank", which collapsed in 1866 owing about £11 million, equivalent to £ million in . The collapse of the institution triggered a banking panic.
History Ear ...
. The subsequent UK financial crisis the following year brought the railway to the brink of bankruptcy.[ A special meeting of shareholders was adjourned, and the powers of the board of directors were suspended pending receipt of a report into the financial affairs of the company and its prospects. The report made clear that the railway had over-extended itself with large capital projects sustained by profits from its passenger traffic, which suddenly declined as a result of the crisis. Several of the country lines were losing money, and resultantly Schuster was forced to resign in favour of new chairman Peter Northall Lawrie.][ This led to a period of network consolidation, and engineering adjustment of the LB&SCR system by Banister to cope only with defined traffic bottlenecks. It was not until the return of Laing as chairman in 1867 and the financial upturn from the 1870s, that Banister was again requested to design and survey new railway projects.]
Major projects
During his 35 years in residence as Chief Engineer, Banister was responsible for identifying and then the design, surveying and construction of all the extensions and important works to be undertaken by the LB&SCR. These included:
*1862 South London line
The South London line is a railway line in inner south London, England. The initial passenger service on the route was established by the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway on 1 May 1867 when the central London terminal stations of Victoria ...
extension to : this involved the construction of of viaduct
A viaduct is a specific type of bridge that consists of a series of arches, piers or columns supporting a long elevated railway or road. Typically a viaduct connects two points of roughly equal elevation, allowing direct overpass across a wide v ...
for three lines of rails; and the construction of a bow-string-girder bridge over Bacon's tannery
Tanning may refer to:
*Tanning (leather), treating animal skins to produce leather
*Sun tanning, using the sun to darken pale skin
**Indoor tanning, the use of artificial light in place of the sun
**Sunless tanning, application of a stain or dye t ...
*1862 extension of : Banister gained an Act of Parliament
Acts of Parliament, sometimes referred to as primary legislation, are texts of law passed by the Legislature, legislative body of a jurisdiction (often a parliament or council). In most countries with a parliamentary system of government, acts of ...
to enlarge further, building four more platforms in an adjoining area to the south to cope with additional traffic generated by the completion of the South London line
The South London line is a railway line in inner south London, England. The initial passenger service on the route was established by the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway on 1 May 1867 when the central London terminal stations of Victoria ...
and other suburban lines, such as the Crystal Palace line, to Victoria station.[ In plans laidout and designs approved by Banister, J. Hawkshaw engineered and constructed a single-span trussed-arch roof measuring .
*Design and engineering of the East Grinstead, Groombridge and Tunbridge Wells Railway: the extension of the Three Bridges to East Grinstead Railway to link with the SER at via , in a race with the SER.
*Extensions to the ]Wealden Line
The Wealden LineBroadbent, S., p. 48. is a partly abandoned double track railway line in East Sussex and Kent that connected Lewes with Tunbridge Wells, a distance of . The line takes its name from the Weald, the hilly landscape the lies betwe ...
: redesign railway access to and then , before extending the Wealden Line
The Wealden LineBroadbent, S., p. 48. is a partly abandoned double track railway line in East Sussex and Kent that connected Lewes with Tunbridge Wells, a distance of . The line takes its name from the Weald, the hilly landscape the lies betwe ...
to to link with the Three Bridges to Tunbridge Wells West line
*Widening of the line from Victoria
Victoria most commonly refers to:
* Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia
* Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada
* Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory
* Victoria, Seychelle ...
to ; and the widening of the line from to Coulsdon
Coulsdon (, traditionally pronounced ) is a town in south London, England, within the London Borough of Croydon, in the ceremonial county of Greater London since 1965. Prior to this it was part of the historic county of Surrey.
History
The l ...
*1876 Portsmouth extension: redesigning the existing Portsmouth Direct Line terminus at , to allow extension of the tracks to a new station at , thus giving direct connection to the company's paddle steamer services to the Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight ( ) is a county in the English Channel, off the coast of Hampshire, from which it is separated by the Solent. It is the largest and second-most populous island of England. Referred to as 'The Island' by residents, the Isle of ...
*1877 design of the Lewes and East Grinstead Railway
The Bluebell Railway is an heritage line almost entirely in West Sussex in England, except for Sheffield Park which is in East Sussex. It is managed by the Bluebell Railway Preservation Society. It uses steam trains which operate between an ...
: including Imberhorne Viaduct
Imberhorne Viaduct is a Grade II listed railway viaduct located in East Grinstead, West Sussex, South-East England. Closed in 1958, the structure was brought back into use as part of the preserved Bluebell Railway heritage line in 2013, allow ...
, now better known as the Bluebell Railway
The Bluebell Railway is an heritage line almost entirely in West Sussex in England, except for Sheffield Park which is in East Sussex. It is managed by the Bluebell Railway Preservation Society. It uses steam trains which operate between an ...
*1880 extension of the Cuckoo Line
The Cuckoo Line is an informal name for the now defunct railway service which linked Polegate and Eridge in East Sussex, England, from 1880 to 1968. It was nicknamed the Cuckoo Line by drivers, from a tradition observed at the annual fair at ...
: extension of the Cuckoo Line
The Cuckoo Line is an informal name for the now defunct railway service which linked Polegate and Eridge in East Sussex, England, from 1880 to 1968. It was nicknamed the Cuckoo Line by drivers, from a tradition observed at the annual fair at ...
north from to
*1881 construction of the Chichester to Midhurst railway: built to a very grand style with a double track loading gauge, despite only ever being single tracked. The stations conformed to Banister's preferred Italianate architecture
The Italianate style was a distinct 19th-century phase in the history of Classical architecture. Like Palladianism and Neoclassicism, the Italianate style drew its inspiration from the models and architectural vocabulary of 16th-century Italian R ...
style, each formed in the form of a large "Country House". and each had two platforms, while the grand Singleton
Singleton may refer to:
Sciences, technology Mathematics
* Singleton (mathematics), a set with exactly one element
* Singleton field, used in conformal field theory Computing
* Singleton pattern, a design pattern that allows only one instance ...
was built with four platforms and long sidings for the Goodwood Racecourse
Goodwood Racecourse is a horse-racing track five miles north of Chichester, West Sussex, in England controlled by the family of the Duke of Richmond, whose seat is nearby Goodwood House. It hosts the annual Glorious Goodwood meeting in lat ...
traffic. Banister also extended and rebuilt in the same architectural style
*1884 construction of the Oxted Line
The Oxted line is a railway in southern England and part of the Southern franchise. The railway splits into two branches towards the south and has direct trains throughout to London termini.
It was opened jointly by the London, Brighton and ...
: by now having passed the regional "race" stage, the LB&SCR and the South Eastern Railway (SER) co-operated on the design and construction of the Oxted Line
The Oxted line is a railway in southern England and part of the Southern franchise. The railway splits into two branches towards the south and has direct trains throughout to London termini.
It was opened jointly by the London, Brighton and ...
from to Eridge Junction on the SER's Redhill to Tonbridge Line Redhill may refer to:
Places England
* Redhill, Bournemouth, Dorset
* Redhill, Herefordshire, a location
* Redhill, Nottinghamshire
* Redhill, Hook-a-Gate, Shropshire
* Redhill, Sheriffhales, Shropshire
* Redhill, Telford, a location in Shrops ...
.[ Banister then extended the LB&SCR's lines south from the joint station at in two directions: one to ; and a later second to ][
*The extension of the Island line to
*Rebuilding railway stations: Banister had a love of ]Italianate architecture
The Italianate style was a distinct 19th-century phase in the history of Classical architecture. Like Palladianism and Neoclassicism, the Italianate style drew its inspiration from the models and architectural vocabulary of 16th-century Italian R ...
,[ which is reflected in his rebuilding of various stations, including:][ ; ; ; ; ; Newhaven; Seaford; ]Sutton
Sutton (''south settlement'' or ''south town'' in Old English) may refer to:
Places
United Kingdom
England
In alphabetical order by county:
* Sutton, Bedfordshire
* Sutton, Berkshire, a List of United Kingdom locations: Stu-Sz#Su, location
* S ...
;
Port of Newhaven
From 1864, under instruction from the LB&SCR, Banister designed the port and transport access system for the LB&SCR owned Newhaven docks. After guiding the required approvals through parliament, Banister personally managed the works without contractors.[
The project began in 1864 with the construction of the ]Seaford Branch Line
The Seaford branch line is a rural railway line in East Sussex constructed in 1864 primarily to serve the port of Newhaven and the town of Seaford. It now sees fairly regular trains across the line except for the branch to the closed statio ...
from the East Coastway Line at . This would allow the supply of building materials to enable construction of the port improvements at Newhaven. However, due to the financial crisis of 1867, the project was placed on indefinite hold.[
It was not until 1870 that Laing gave Banister the approval to undertake the improvements to the docks at Newhaven, including:][
*The provision of additional quays
*The construction of new sea-walls
*New entrance piers and ]lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid, for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways.
Lighthouses mar ...
s
*The building of a concrete breakwater
Breakwater may refer to:
* Breakwater (structure), a structure for protecting a beach or harbour
Places
* Breakwater, Victoria, a suburb of Geelong, Victoria, Australia
* Breakwater Island
Breakwater Island () is a small island in the Palme ...
, extending seawards for .
The resultant works allowed access for the LB&SCR's new larger passenger steamships, and created through reclamation several new acres
The acre is a unit of land area used in the imperial and US customary systems. It is traditionally defined as the area of one chain by one furlong (66 by 660 feet), which is exactly equal to 10 square chains, of a square mile, 4,840 square ya ...
of land which were subsequently developed and then sub-leased to various industrial companies.[ The town of Newhaven greatly expanded on the back of the works, as they allowed a large increase in both trade and subsequently population.][
]
Retirement
After completing the widening of the Brighton Main Line
The Brighton Main Line (also known as the South Central Main Line) is a major railway line in the United Kingdom that links Brighton, on the south coast of England, with central London. In London the line has two branches, out of and station ...
from to Coulsdon
Coulsdon (, traditionally pronounced ) is a town in south London, England, within the London Borough of Croydon, in the ceremonial county of Greater London since 1965. Prior to this it was part of the historic county of Surrey.
History
The l ...
in January 1896, Banister retired from the LB&SCR again, replaced by Charles Langbridge Morgan
Charles Langbridge Morgan (22 January 1894 – 6 February 1958) was a British playwright and novelist of English and Welsh parentage. The main themes of his work were, as he himself put it, "Art, Love, and Death", and the relation between t ...
.
Married twice, his first wife Nancy Eleanor Richardson (1823–1864), died at the age of 40 and is buried in Nunhead Cemetery
Nunhead Cemetery is one of the Magnificent Seven cemeteries in London, England. It is perhaps the least famous and celebrated of them. The cemetery is located in Nunhead in the London Borough of Southwark and was originally known as All Saints' ...
.[ His second wife was Annie Fisher. Banister had ten children, including Mary Elizabeth Banister who died the year before him in 1895; and Herbert Banister who died in 1901.][ A third child, Katharine Mary married ]Thomas Myres
Thomas Harrison Myres FRIBA (1842 – 3 December 1926) was an English railway architect who designed stations and ancillary buildings for the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway lines that were opened between 1880 and 1883, including several o ...
(the son of his former master, John J. Myres) in 1871. Thomas Myres was an architect who designed many of the LBSCR's station buildings.
Banister died at his home in Forest Row
Forest Row is a village and a large civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. The village is located three miles (5 km) south-east of East Grinstead.
History
The village draws its name from its proximity to the Ashdo ...
, East Sussex on 22 December 1897.[ He is buried in the cemetery of Holy Trinity Church in Forest Row (plot No.194190), with the grave of his second wife in the adjacent plot.]
His personal copies of various architectural drawings when designing buildings for the LB&SCR are held by the Royal Institute of British Architects
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) is a professional body for architects primarily in the United Kingdom, but also internationally, founded for the advancement of architecture under its royal charter granted in 1837, three suppl ...
.
Dale Road in Purley is thought to take its name after Banister. The street was laid and built up with houses destined for LB&SCR staff shortly after his death.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bansiter, Frederick
Engineers from London
English civil engineers
London, Brighton and South Coast Railway people
1823 births
1897 deaths
British railway pioneers
People educated at Preston Grammar School
People from Forest Row
19th-century British businesspeople