William Howard Hinton Powell (1873-1951), director of the Westinghouse Brake and Signal Co
Chairman of the Vacuum Brake Co
1953 Obituary [1]
WILLIAM HOWARD HINTON POWELL was formerly a director and general manager of the Westinghouse Brake and Signal Company, Ltd., and had been associated with that firm for many years.
He was born in 1873 and educated at South Wales and Monmouthshire University College. He served an apprenticeship in the locomotive works of the Taff Vale Railway from 1900 to 1906 under Mr. T. Hurry Riches, a former President of the Institution. After gaining two years' experience as a junior draughtsman he was made chief assistant in the signalling department of that railway.
In 1900 he joined the staff of McKenzie and Holland, Ltd., Worcester, railway signalling engineers, as manager in South Wales and Ireland. This association lasted for twenty years during which he carried out many important installations, including the interlocking of two swing bridges at Cardiff, and of a rolling bridge at the Alexandra docks at Newport, Monmouthshire.
He then transferred his services to Saxby and Farmer, Ltd., Railway Signal Works, Chippenham, and after two years as works manager became the general manager and a director of the Westinghouse Brake and Saxby Signal Company, Ltd., a position he retained until his retirement. The designation of this combine was changed to its present form in 1935.
Mr. Powell was elected an Associate Member of the Institution in 1906 and transferred to Membership four years later.
His death occurred in December 1951.