George Hughes (9 October 1865 – 27 October 1945) was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

locomotive engineer, and

chief mechanical engineer Chief mechanical engineer and locomotive superintendent are titles applied by British, Australian, and New Zealand railway companies to the person ultimately responsible to the board of the company for the building and maintaining of the locomotive ...

(CME) 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 ...

(L&YR) and the

London, Midland and Scottish Railway The London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMSIt has been argued that the initials LMSR should be used to be consistent with LNER, GWR and SR. The London, Midland and Scottish Railway's corporate image used LMS, and this is what is generally u ...

(LMS).

Biography

George Hughes was born on 9 October 1865 and served a premium apprenticeship at the

London and North Western Railway The London and North Western Railway (LNWR, L&NWR) was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. In the late 19th century, the L&NWR was the largest joint stock company in the United Kingdom. In 1923, it became a constituent of the Lo ...

(LNWR)

Crewe Works Crewe Works is a British railway engineering facility located in the town of Crewe, Cheshire. The works, which was originally opened by the Grand Junction Railway in 1840, employed around 7,000 to 8,000 workers at its peak. In the 1980s, a lot ...

between 1882 and 1886. At the L&YR he started in the test room, and Bulleid notes the L&YR's John Aspinall was most pleased with his work there. He progressed through various positions at the L&YR culminating in achieving in becoming chief mechanical engineer in March 1904. He introduced the L&YR locomotive classification system around 1919. When the L&YR amalgamated into the LNWR in January 1922 he became the CME of the combined group and was appointed the CME of the LMS on its formation at the 1923 grouping. He retired in July 1925 after only two and a half years at the LMS. He was succeeded by Henry Fowler who had worked with him at

Horwich Works Horwich Works was a railway works built in 1886 by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway (LYR) in Horwich, near Bolton, in North West England when the company moved from its original works at Miles Platting, Manchester. Buildings Horwich Works ...

before moving to the former

Midland Railway The Midland Railway (MR) was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844. The Midland was one of the largest railway companies in Britain in the early 20th century, and the largest employer in Derby, where it had its headquarters. It am ...

Derby Works The Derby Works comprised a number of British manufacturing facilities designing and building locomotives and rolling stock in Derby, England. The first of these was a group of three maintenance sheds opened around 1840 behind Derby station. Th ...

. He died on 27 October 1945.

Steam locomotives

L&YR

* Class 4, a superheated development of the Class 3, there were 2 versions each having different cylinder sizes and valve gear. * Class 6, a superheated development of the Class 5 * Class 8 4-6-0 ''Dreadnought''. As initially built these express passenger engines had significant issues, following rebuild their performance was "creditable". * Class 28, a superheated development of the Class 27 * Railmotors *

2-10-0 Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-10-0 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, ten powered and coupled driving wheels on five axles, and no trailing wheels. This arrangement was of ...

, a heavy mineral loco design of 1914, not built owing to the outbreak of the Great War.

LMS

LMS Hughes Crab The London Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) Hughes Crab or Horwich Mogul is a class of mixed-traffic 2-6-0 steam locomotive built between 1926 and 1932. They are noted for their appearance with large steeply-angled cylinders to accommodate ...

, a 5P4F

mixed-traffic locomotive A locomotive or engine is a rail transport vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. If a locomotive is capable of carrying a payload, it is usually rather referred to as a multiple unit, motor coach, railcar or power car; the us ...

had the basic design completed before Hughes' retirement. It was the last design from

and Marshall gives it the accolade "The engine became at once, and remained, one of the best on the LMS". 245 were produced and Marshall comments the successful

LMS Fowler 2-6-4T The London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) Fowler 2-6-4T was a class of steam locomotive passenger tank engine designed by Henry Fowler. Construction 125 examples of the class were built. The last 30 numbered 2395 to 2424 were fitted with ...

was also influenced by the design. * 4-6-4T ''Dreadnought tank'', Designed for L&YR, built by the LMS.

Electric locomotives

During Hughes' time at the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway built an electric goods locomotive in 1912 and a battery-electric shunter around 1917. The former had four 150 horsepower motors (total 600 hp) and could pick up current from the

third rail A third rail, also known as a live rail, electric rail or conductor rail, is a method of providing electric power to a railway locomotive or train, through a semi-continuous rigid conductor placed alongside or between the rails of a railway t ...

on the main line or from

overhead lines An overhead line or overhead wire is an electrical cable that is used to transmit electrical energy to electric locomotives, trolleybuses or trams. It is known variously as: * Overhead catenary * Overhead contact system (OCS) * Overhead equipmen ...

in freight yards.

Publications

References

Bibliography

* * *

External links

George Hughes
Steam Index website article 1865 births 1945 deaths English railway mechanical engineers Locomotive builders and designers Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway London, Midland and Scottish Railway people {{England-engineer-stub