William Morgan Moylan
William Morgan Moylan (1861-1924)
1924 Obituary [1]
WILLIAM MORGAN MOYLAN was born in Bombay in 1861, and was educated at Stonyhurst College, Lancashire.
His early engineering training was obtained in the works of Messrs. Hick, Hargreaves and Co., Ltd., Soho Iron Works, Bolton, and he afterwards joined the P. and O. Steam Navigation Co., and spent two years, until 1885, in the engine-room of the S.S. "Shannon."
From 1885 to 1887 he was assistant to the Government Inspector of Boilers, Bombay, and in the latter year he passed his engineer's examination first-class.
Later on he superintended the erection of engineering factories at Kandeish, and carried out the installation of heavy machinery at Path, Hyderabad, the task involving transport over 150 miles of difficult country.
He then spent two years in charge of engines and tunnels for the Tansa Water Works, Bombay, and subsequently he devoted himself largely to this class of work. He was manager of works for Messrs. Forster and Co. in the construction of the Goilkora tunnel on the Bengal-Nagpur Railway, and from 1893 to 1898 he was engaged in the cutting of tunnels on the hill sections of the Assam-Bengal Railway, being in sole charge up to May 1895.
Later on, as a member of the firm of Messrs. Moylan and Scott, he was engaged in 1903-6 on the construction of what is now called the "Grand Chord" line, East India Railway, work involving the construction of several tunnels and bridges; and in 1906 the Darrah Viaduct on the Nagda-Muttra State Railway engaged his attention, followed in 1908 by the erection of the Kalismid bridge with its approaches and heavy guide bunds.
Subsequently, continuing his railway construction work, the years 1909-11 saw him at work in the hill sections of the Itarsi-Nagpur Railway, his labours involving the construction of five tunnels and five miles of heavy earthwork, including a bank across the Salband Gorge which was 150 feet high at its deepest point and was considered one of the largest examples of its kind in India.
Tunnel work on the Southern Shan States Railway followed in 1912, and the following years saw the construction of the Kasara tunnel and much heavy-earthwork on the Great Indian Peninsula Railway, with further work of similar heavy character on the Itarsi-Nagpur Railway.
Further activities included the erection of an acetone factory at Nasik during the War years 1917-18, the repair of the great Moghat dam in 1919, and the making of many tunnels on the Khyber Railway in 1921.
Mr. Moylan spent about forty years in India, and his name will be associated with some of the heaviest tunnelling and embankment work connected with the railways of that country.
His death took place at the age of sixty-three from malarial fever, on 28th July 1924, on board the S.S. "Delta," whilst on his way home from India.
He became an Associate Member of this Institution in 1893 and was admitted as full Member in 1901.
1924 Obituary[2]
"THE LATE MR. W. M. MOYLAN.
We regret to note the death at. sea on July 28 of Mr. William Morgan Moylan, of 7, Vicarage-gate, Kensington. He was returning home from India, where he had devoted a large part of his life to railway construction.
Mr. Moylan was born in 1861 and was educated at Stoneyhurst and obtained his practical engineering training in the works of Messrs. Hack, Hargreaves and Co., Limited, Soho Iron Works, Bolton, and afterwards spent two years at sea in the engine room of SS Shannon. From 1885 to 1888 he was engaged in the office of the Inspector-in-Chief of Steam Boilers and Prime Movers of Bombay Presidency. His next undertaking was the transport of the heavy steam machinery for a factory at Parli, Hyderabad, a distance of 150 miles across difficult country, and he carried out its complete -erection.
He later drove two of the tunnels; under the direction of Colonel Beaumont, R.E., in the Tausa Tunnel contract and afterwards devoted himself largely to this class of work. He was manager of works for Messrs. Forster and Co. on the construction of the Gorlkora tunnel on the Bengal-Nagpur Railway. From 1893 to 1898 he was engaged on the cutting of tunnels for the Assam-Bengal Railway. Later, as a member of the "firm of Messrs. Moylan and Scott, he was engaged on the construction of the Gya Katrasgarh Railway, now called the Grand Chard, East Indian Railway, and of the Nagda-Muttra State Railway, including a bridge over the Kalascied River. In the last 15 years he continued his railway constructional work on part of the Great Indian Peninsula Railway and on the Southern- Shan State Railway, and was engineer and manager of works on the contract for the construction of theKassara Tunnel.
Mr, Moylan was elected an associate member of the Institution of Civil Engineers in 1902 and transferred to the class of member in 1914."