William Milne
William Milne (1840-1917)
1917 Obituary [1]
WILLIAM MILNE was born in March 1840.
In 1853 he began an apprenticeship of seven years at the locomotive works of the Great Eastern Railway, Stratford, and was then lent by the Company to the Russian Government as inspector of rolling stock.
On his return to England in 1862 be became inspector for the same railway company of the rolling stock made by contractors, and three years later was appointed inspector of running engines.
He subsequently received the appointment of Locomotive Superintendent of the Mauritius Government Railways, a post which he held for about seven years, being selected in 1877 for the position of Locomotive Superintendent of the Natal Government Railways.
This position he retained for eighteen years, during which period lie was instrumental in organizing the first Fire (Railway) Brigade in Natal.
On his retirement from the railway service in 1895 he practised as a consulting engineer in Durban on his own account.
His death took place in Durban on 10th April 1917, at the age of seventy-seven.
He was elected a Member of this Institution in 1887.