John Paton (1861-1902)
1903 Obituary [1]
. . . . . in 1882 he joined the staff of John Strain, under whom he was engaged on railway surveys and designs for bridges and other works. While in Mr. Strain’s employment he acted as Resident Engineer on the Killin Branch Railway, and also on the Airdrie, Gartness, and Newhouse branches of the Caledonian Railway.
On the completion of those works Mr. Paton became engineer to A. H. Boyle, railway contractor, and had charge of several important contracts. This led him in 1891 to begin business as a contractor on his own account. He soon built up a good business, being much esteemed as a capable and reliable contractor.
Among the works he executed were the Thorntonhall Water Supply, Milnathort Waterworks, several drainage schemes, and bridges over the Tyne at Haddington, the Clyde at Cambuslang, and the Leven at Bonhill, near Dumbarton. Some years ago he carried out the enlargement of Crieff Station for the Caledonian Railway Company, and in 1899 he undertook the first section (6 miles in length) of the Lochearnhead, St. Fillans and Comrie Railway. That section was opened in October, 1901, and he was engaged on the second section (9 miles in length) at the time of his death, which occurred on the 27th January, 1902. . . . [more]