Henry Horniblow

Henry Horniblow

1910 Locomotive Engineer of the Queensland Government Railways

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1902 Report.

The “Queensland Railway Express’ has the following sketch of the career of Mr. Henry Horniblow, Deputy Chief Mechanical Engineer, who is a member of a well-known Worcester family, being a brother of Mr. W. T. Horniblow, chemist, Sidbury:

With this issue of the ‘Express’ we present our readers with a capital likeness of one of the oldest, most respected, and popular officers of the Queensland railways, in the person of Mr. Henry Horniblow, Deputy Chief Mechanical Engineer. Mr. Horniblow was born and educated near Worcester (Eng.), and in his early schooldays showed a distinct inclination for the engineering profession— this inclination being all the more forcibly shown when it is stated that at the age of 14 years he had mastered six books of Euclid’s geometrical problems.

He first went to learn his profession in the Southern Division Workshops of the London and North Western Railway Co. at Wolverton, Bucks, where he went through the whole of the branches of his extensive profession— erecting, fitting, and machine shops, also drawing office, etc., under the then locomotive Supts., James E. McConnell and John Ramsbottom. His connection with our railways, however, dates from June, 1864, when he was engaged in London by Sir Chas. Fox as foreman in charge of machine tools. These duties he commenced at Ipswich in November, 1864, where he assisted in putting together the first four locomotives used on the Queensland railways. They were named ‘Faugh-a-Ballagh,' ‘Pioneer,' 'Premier' and ‘Lady Bowen,' but subsequently altered to Nos. 1, 2, 3, and 4.

Mr. Horniblow supervised the erection of the very first machinery in the Ipswich shops, and in November, 1867, he was appointed Loco. Foreman at Toowoomba, and remained there eight years, when he was transferred to Ipswich as Loco. Foreman. Here he had charge of the general repairs to all locomotives, and in 1876 he was promoted to the position of Loco. Supt. of the S. and W. Division. This division Included all the railways of the State, with the exception of a few miles out from Rockhampton, and the then Commissioner, Mr. A. O. Herbert, consulted Mr. Horniblow on all matters affecting the locomotives and rolling stock of the Rockhampton line. Between 1880 and 1883, detached lines were opened at Maryborough, Bundaberg, and Townsville, and Mr. Horniblow supervised all the locomotives and rolling stock on these lines in the same manner as previously done with the Rockhampton line.

In 1883 he was appointed Locomotive Engineer of all Queensland railways, and transferred to Brisbane. During his tenure of office in this position, practically all the rolling stock and locomotives were built from drawings and specifications prepared under Mr. Horniblow’s supervision, to meet the conditions of the traffic and the requirements of the Commissioners— Messrs. A. O. Herbert, F. Curnow, and John Mathieson. Mr. Horniblow continued in this position till 1899, when Mr. Gray created the new position of Chief Mechanical Engineer.

In 1900 Mr. Horniblow was granted 12 months’ leave of absence, during which time he made an extensive tour of the old country, the Continent, and America, visiting all the principal locomotive workshops in these countries, when he took the opportunity of making himself conversant with the different systems of administration of the mechanical departments and the latest methods of workshop practice. Prior to leaving Queensland on his well-earned holiday, Mr. Horniblow was tendered a dinner by the officers of the Railway Department, and the occasion was taken advantage of to make him a valuable presentation, and to give him a handsome illuminated address.

This is a brief outline of Mr. Horniblow’s official career, but it is hard for the younger members of our staff to realise the difficulties and obstacles which presented themselves in the earlier days, and Mr. Horniblow mas well feel proud of his unique record and the service he has rendered the Queensland railways. As a citizen Mr. Horniblow has always been highly esteemed, and we are happily able to give a short glimpse into some of his civic undertakings. In company with Mr. Peter Minehan and the late Mr. John Scorra he established the now flourishing and highly appreciated Railway Friendly Society at Toowoomba, and during his residence in that town he was superintendent of the fire brigade. When in Ipswich he occupied the position of sergeant in the No. 2 Battery, and although often pressed to accept a commission he always declined. Here he was also a member of the fire brigade, in which movement he always took a keen interest. He is an expert fisherman and a great piscatorial enthusiast, but of later years his principal recreation is gardening, at which he is quite an adept. The respect in which My, Horniblow is held and the regard with which he is viewed by his subordinate officers in the Department, was shown in no unmistakable way by the spontaneous outburst of genuine applause which greeted him at the recent loco. enginemen’s banquet, and his geniality, kindness, and perennial good nature have drawn round him a large cordon of true friends, who would do much to earn the thanks of Henry Horniblow.

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