James Marchbanks (27 October 1862 – 6 July 1947) was a New Zealand civil engineer. He was Engineer and General Manager for the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company (WMR) and then the

Wellington Harbour Board (Strong but true) , predecessor = , merged = , successor = , formation = , founder = , founding_location = , dissolved = , merger = , type ...

He was born in Dunedin, educated at the

University of Otago , image_name = University of Otago Registry Building2.jpg , image_size = , caption = University clock tower , motto = la, Sapere aude , mottoeng = Dare to be wise , established = 1869; 152 years ago , type = Public research collegiate u ...

, and joined the

Public Works Department This list indicates government departments in various countries dedicated to public works or infrastructure. See also * Public works * Ministry or Board of Public Works, the imperial Chinese ministry overseeing public projects from the Tang ...

in 1878 as surveyor and civil engineer. He moved to the WMR as Resident Engineer, then Chief Engineer and Locomotive Superintendent. The WMR was taken over in 1908 and became part of the

New Zealand Government Railways The New Zealand Railways Department, NZR or NZGR (New Zealand Government Railways) and often known as the "Railways", was a government department charged with owning and maintaining New Zealand's railway infrastructure and operating the railway ...

. In 1909 he was appointed Engineer to the

Wellington Harbour Board (Strong but true) , predecessor = , merged = , successor = , formation = , founder = , founding_location = , dissolved = , merger = , type ...

, retiring as Chief Engineer and Ganeral Manager in 1932. His son Donald Marchbanks (1901–1987) succeeded him as WHB Chief Engineer. He was a foundation member of the New Zealand Institution of Civil Engineers and was Honorary Treasurer of the New Zealand Institution of Engineers for many years. He died in 1947 in the Hutt Hospital, and is buried in St John's Anglican Church cemetery, Trentham.

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* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Marchbanks, James 1862 births 1947 deaths New Zealand civil engineers 19th-century New Zealand engineers 20th-century New Zealand engineers New Zealand people in rail transport People from Dunedin University of Otago alumni New Zealand people in transport