Neilson and Company

Neilson and Company
Company type	Private
Industry	Locomotive manufacturing
Founded	1836
Founder	Walter Neilson, James Mitchell
Defunct	1903
Fate	Merged to form North British Locomotive Company
Headquarters	Glasgow, Scotland
Area served	United Kingdom, India, South Africa, South America
Key people	Henry Dübs, Patrick Stirling, James Reid
Products	Locomotives, marine and stationary engines (until 1855)

Neilson and Company operated as a locomotive manufacturer headquartered in Glasgow, Scotland.

Established in 1836 by Walter Neilson and James Mitchell, the company initially specialized in producing marine and stationary engines. In 1837, it moved to Hyde Park Street and underwent several name changes, including Kerr, Mitchell and Neilson and Kerr, Neilson and Company, before adopting the name Neilson and Mitchell in 1843.

The firm commenced locomotive manufacturing in 1843, concentrating on serving regional railways. By 1855, it discontinued marine and stationary engine production and rebranded as 'Neilson and Company.’ Prominent industry figures such as Henry Dübs and Patrick Stirling were involved with the company during this era.

With growing demand by 1861, a new facility known as "Hyde Park Works" was established at Springburn. In 1864, Henry Dübs departed to found Dübs and Company at Queens Park Works, taking several key employees with him. Meanwhile, James Reid, previously employed by Neilson, returned to join as a partner.

Stationary Engines

The Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway (1842) utilized beam engines from Neilson & Mitchell to power the rope incline leading to Cowlairs station. These engines were equipped with 28-inch cylinders featuring six-foot strokes, driven by eight boilers supplying steam at 50 psi.

Locomotives

By 1855, Neilson’s locomotive range included four-coupled tank engines as well as 2-4-0 and 0-4-2 tender locomotives. While some units served Cowlairs and St. Rollox workshops, a significant number were exported to India.

Throughout the 1870s, the company produced large quantities of 0-4-4 tank engines for clients such as the London, Chatham and Dover Railway, Midland Railway, and Great Eastern Railway. Additionally, fifty 0-4-2 locomotives were delivered to India. The firm’s initial eight-coupled locomotives were constructed in 1872 specifically for the Indian market.

In 1879, Neilson built Britain’s first 2-6-0 locomotives for William Adams of the Great Eastern Railway; one of these was named "Mogul," a designation that subsequently became synonymous worldwide with this wheel arrangement.

Other international contracts included shipments to South Africa and South America. In 1883, Neilson provided a 4-6-0 locomotive fitted with Joy valve gear to the Cape Government Railways.

Turn of the 20th century

In 1884, Neilson exited the company to establish the Clyde Locomotive Company, leaving James Reid as sole proprietor of Neilson & Co., which was renamed Neilson, Reid and Company in 1898.

Facing mounting competition from American manufacturers by this period, smaller Scottish firms struggled to remain viable. To address this challenge, Neilson Reid merged with Dübs and Company and Sharp, Stewart and Company in 1903, creating the North British Locomotive Company, which became the largest locomotive producer outside the United States.

Argentina

General Urquiza Railway

• 3804 (1888) “San Martín” is preserved at Cerrito, Entre Ríos. • 3854 (1888) “Yatay” is undergoing restoration at Ferroclub Argentino in Buenos Aires. • 3864 (1890) “Itatí” remains preserved at Liniers Club APDFA in Buenos Aires. • 3870 (1890) “Monte Caseros” is under restoration at Ferroclub Argentino, Buenos Aires. • 3872 (1890) “Juarez Celman” is preserved at Basavilbaso, Entre Ríos. • 3873 (1890) “Sarmiento” is maintained at Oro Verde, Entre Ríos.

Australia

At The Workshops in Ipswich, two Queensland A10 Neilson class locomotives are preserved: 0-4-2 No. 1170 (built in 1865) and No. 1214 (constructed in 1866).
Rail Heritage WA houses a WAGR H class 0-6-0T locomotive, No. 3631, dating from 1888.

Finland

The Finnish Railway Museum located in Hyvinkaa exhibits a 0-6-0 Finnish Steam Locomotive Class C1, numbered 1427 and manufactured in 1869.

Ireland

The Railway Preservation Society of Ireland maintains a Great Northern Railway (Ireland) Q class 4-4-0 locomotive, No. 131, built in 1901.

New Zealand

Several Neilson-built F class steam engines have been conserved across various heritage railways, including Ferrymead ("Peveril" No.1692, 1872), Silver Stream, Pleasant Point, Helensville, Lumsden Heritage Trust, Kaitaia Township, and the Bush Tramway Club.

Neilson was responsible for producing both the inaugural F class locomotive (F13 in 1872) and the final unit (F216 in 1888) within New Zealand Railways' fleet of 88 F class engines.

United Kingdom

Notable preserved locomotives include:
- GER Class 209, a 0-4-0ST numbered 229 from 1876, located in Gloucestershire
- Two 0-4-0ST engines: Nos. 2203 (1876) and 2937 (1882), held by the Scottish Railway Preservation Society and Chasewater Railway respectively
- LSWR 415 class 4-4-2T No. 488 (1885), displayed at the Bluebell Railway
- Caledonian Railway Single 4-2-2 No. 123 (1886), preserved at the Riverside Museum
- NBR C Class 0-6-0 No.673 'Maude' (1891), part of the Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway collection
- Beckton Gas Works locomotives Nos.1 (1892) and 25 (1896), maintained by Preston Services and Bressingham Steam and Gardens respectively
- Taff Vale Railway O2 class 0-6-2T No.85 (1899), exhibited at the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway

Hyde Park Locomotive Works F.C.

In the year 1876, the company established an association football team named Hyde Park Locomotive Works, which sported red and white hoops measuring two inches wide. The club participated in the Scottish Cup for the 1876–77 season but was defeated at home by Crosshill with a scoreline of 2–1; Watt scored their sole goal.

The club entered the subsequent Scottish Cup competition in 1877–78 and was drawn to face Blackfriars from Parkhead; however, it had already ceased operations by then, with its final documented match occurring in January 1877 against Petershill.

Fiction

Within The Railway Series authored by Rev. W. Awdry, a character inspired by a Neilson prototype appears. The locomotive named Neil is depicted as a 'box tank' engine that operated on the Sodor & Mainland Railway between the years 1853 and 1901.

References

Lowe, J.W., (1989) British Steam Locomotive Builders, Guild Publishing

External links