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Benjamin Connor

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Benjamin Connor
Born1813
Glasgow
Died3 February 1876
Glasgow
NationalityScottish
OccupationEngineer
Children5, including Benjamin Conner Jr
Engineering career
DisciplineMechanical engineering

Benjamin Connor or Benjamin Conner (1813 in Glasgow – 3 February 1876 in Glasgow)[1] was a Locomotive Superintendent of the Caledonian Railway from 1856 to 1876. Connor married Helen Dick and had five children: James (born 1854), Cristina (born 1858), Alexander (born 1860), Benjamin (born 1864) and William (born 1867).

Design

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The Railway Gazette described Connor as a "very celebrated engineer" because of his 1839 design of the passenger locomotive which was an enlargement on the locomotives available at the time. A locomotive built from his drawings was exhibited at the 1862 London International Exhibition.[2]

Career

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Connor was apprenticed to James Gray of Glasgow. Later he worked for Murdoch, Aitken & Co, Glasgow, where he learned locomotive engineering. He moved to England, working in Liverpool and Manchester, and then returned to Scotland to work for W.M. Neilson. After this he worked for Robert Napier and Sons and learned marine engineering. He was appointed locomotive superintendent of the Caledonian Railway in 1856.[1]

Locomotives

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Conner, Benjamin". Steamindex.com. 30 March 1964. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
  2. ^ The Railway Gazette, vol. 33, Queen Anne's Chambers, 1920, p. 459

Sources

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  • Ian Allan ABC of British Railways Locomotives, January 1961, page 58
Business positions
Preceded by Locomotive Superintendent of the Caledonian Railway
1856-1876
Succeeded by