Association of Railway Locomotive Engineers
An earlier organisation, the Association of Locomotive Engineers in Scotland, had the objectives of 'discussing the locomotive practice in force on the Railways with which the members are connected, and for other purposes'. The senior officers were William Cowan (1823-1898), President, and James Stirling (1835-1917) MIMechE, MICE as Secretary. Copy minutes were made by Stirling. This may have existed as early as 1869.
The Association of Railway Locomotive Engineers in Great Britain and Ireland was created in 1890 as a result of a provisional committee meeting on 30 October 1889, chaired by William Stroudley (1833-1889) MIMechE, MICE. The organisation discussed 'matters of interest of Railway Engineers and Railway Companies...', with two annual meetings, one in London and a Summer gathering in a provincial centre. Its members were heads of the locomotive, carriage and wagon departments of the railway companies[1]
1911 J. F. McIntosh of the Caledonian Railway was President of the Association of Railway Locomotive Engineers
Rule Book 11/11/1914 of the Association of Railway Locomotive Engineers of Great Britain and Ireland.
Harry Smith Wainwright was honorary secretary[2]
The Association was composed of the locomotive superintendents of the 30 or so leading British and Irish railways; it had been primarily concerned with the possible harmonisation of such facets of locomotive design as tyre profiles.
WWI Designs for national standard locomotives were proposed by the Association of Railway Locomotive Engineers during 1917-1918 in response to a request from the Government to prepare plans for a range of national standard locomotives.
The details of the proposed designs did not emerge until 1948 when diagrams were published of the Ashford (SE & CR) proposals for a 2-6-0 mixed traffic engine; and a 2-8-0 heavy freight locomotive. These were illustrated again subsequently by Harold Holcroft in his memoirs when he made the following revelations: 'The ARLE decided on a 2-6-0 mixed traffic as a priority ... Only the larger companies were really interested. The most active participants were Hughes (LYR), Gresley (GNR), Fowler (MR), Pickersgill (CR), Churchward (GWR), and Maunsell (SE&CR) ... Though an acceptable scheme for a 2-6-0 was in the making, the method of design by committee, circulation of its draft and approved minutes and drawings was so slow that the war was over long before any working drawings could be available.'[3]
1917 President: George Jackson Churchward
1919 President: W. P. Reid; vice president C. T. H. Riches; hon. secry. Sir Henry Fowler[4]
1922 President: Sir Vincent L. Raven; vice president R. E. L. Maunsell; hon. secry. Sir Henry Fowler[5]
1926/7 President:Nigel Gresley
1949 The Association was no longer needed after nationalisation of the railways so it was disbanded; its functions were taken over by the British Transport Commission Headquarters at Marylebone. After the affairs of the Association had been wound up it was found that there was a good balance of funds remaining which allowed the remaining members to enjoy a ceremonial week-end at Gleneagles.[6]. The Institution of Mechanical Engineers holds its minute books up to 1946.
The Institution of Mechanical Engineers has papers of the Institutions of Locomotive and Automobile Engineers and the Association of Railway Locomotive Engineers.
1911-1991: records, including minutes, held by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers for its merged bodies such as the Institutions of Locomotive and Automobile Engineers and the Association of Railway Locomotive Engineers.
See Also
Sources of Information
- Minute books of the Association of Railway Locomotive Engineers, 1869-1946