Andrew Custance Carr
Andrew Custance Carr (c1868-1945)
Born at Berwick the son of John Carr, Hotel proprietor.
1922 V.D M.I.Mech.E., M.I.Loco.E., Mechanical Engineer, Khargpur, Bengal, India. T. A.: "Lococar." Training: Gateshead Works, North Eastern Railway, and Durham College of Science. Locomotive Department, East Indian Railway, Div. Locomotive Supt. and Deputy Loco. Supt. 1892-1905; Works Manager 1905, Chief Mechanical Engineer 1912, Bengal-Nagpur Railway; on Deputation to American Railway Shops, 1909; witness before the Indian Industrial Commission, 1917. Responsible for the layout, equipment and organisation of Khargpur workshops to handle 600 locomotives, 1,000 coaches and 15,000 wagons, general administration of locomotive, carriage and wagon and electrical departments of Bengal-Nagpur Railway and the railway town of Khargpur. Chairman of the Locomotive and Carriage Superintendents' Committee of the Indian Railway Conference Association 1917-20; Major, Bengal-Nagpur Railway Rifles. Served on Ctee. of Bengal Chamber of Commerce 1920. Commissioner for Port of Calcutta 1920-21; Member of Gov. Ctee. Bengal Engineering College 1921; Acting Agent Bengal-Nagpur Railway. 1920-21. Club: Bengal, Calcutta. War Services.—Supervision of munitions of war manufactured by Bengal-Nagpur Railway, and rolling stock for Mesopotamia, 1914-17. Services lent as general manager to the Coventry Ordnance Works, England, 1918-19.
1935 Bio Note.[1]
Mr. Andrew Custance Carr, V.D., M.I.Mech.E., received his early training on the former North Eastern Railway at the Gateshead locomotive works, and subsequently being employed for three years in the inspection of materials and boilers and of outside machinery. In 1892 he entered the service of the East Indian Railway as an assistant in the locomotive department, his association with that company lasting fourteen years, during which time he occupied successively the positions of district locomotive superintendent, works manager, and deputy locomotive superintendent. He transferred his services to the Bengal-Nagpur Railway in 1905, becoming deputy chief mechanical engineer and works superintendent at Khargpur, where new locomotive, carriage and wagon workshops were under construction.
In 1909 he visited the principal railway workshops in the United States of America and Canada, and in 1912 was appointed chief mechanical engineer of the Bengal-Nagpur Railway. For the 1917-18 session he was Chairman of the Locomotive, Carriage and Wagon Superintendents’ Committee of the Indian Railway Conference Association. Subsequently, his services were loaned to Great Britain, and in 1918-19 he was general manager of the Coventry Ordnance Works.
After the cessation of hostilities he returned to India, and in 1920 was appointed to act as agent of the Bengal-Nagpur Railway, serving on the Bengal Chamber of Commerce and as a commissioner of the Port of Calcutta in 1920-21. On returning to England, Mr. Carr was admitted a partner in the firm of Sir John Wolfe Barry and Partners, consulting engineers. In 1932 he was commissioned to report on the locomotive department of H.R.H. the Nizam’s State Railway. Mr. Carr holds the rank of Major in the Bengal-Nagpur Railway Regiment of the auxiliary forces.
1939 Living at Kensington, Partner in the Firm of Sir John Wolfe Barry and Partners, Consulting Engineer
1945 Obituary.[2]
Andrew Custance Carr, who was President of the Institution, Session 1935-36, was born in 1867. He was elected a Member in 1917, a Member of Council in 1925 and a Vice-President in 1932. He received his early education at Berwick-on-Tweed Grammar School from 1876 to 1884, and served his engineering apprentice¬ship at Gateshead Locomotive Works, N.E. Rly. Co. Whilst there he attended Durham College of Science. On completion of his time he was made an Inspector of Material and for a short time was in charge of the mechanical test house and District Inspector of Stationary Machinery.
From 1892-1905 he was with the East India Rly. Co., holding successively appointments as Asst. Loco. Supt., Works Manager, District Loco. Supt. and Deputy Loco. Supt. In 1905 he joined the Bengal-Nagpur Rly. Co. as Works Manager and Deputy Chief Mechanical Engineer, chiefly engaged in lay-out, equipment and organisation of new Locomotive, Carriage and Wagon Works at Khargpur, B.N. Rly. During 1909 he was on deputation to Canadian and American Rlys. and in 1912 was made Chief Mech. Engr., B.N.R. He was chairman of the Locomotive, Carriage and Wagon Supt.’s Committee of the Indian Rly. Conference Association.
In 1918 he was loaned to the Government in this country and took over the general managership of Coventry Ordnance Works, Coventry, returning to India in 1920 as Agent and General Manager of the B.N. Rly.
In 1922 he retired from India and joined Sir John Wolfe Barry and Co., consulting engineers, London, as a partner. In 1941 Messrs. Robert White and Partners joined Sir John Wolfe Barry and Partners, and the new firm became Wolfe Barry, Robert White and Partners.
Mr. Carr was a regular attendant to the Institution’s Council Meeting and for many years served as a member of the Membership Selection Committee; he was renowned for his sound judgment and rendered valuable service to the Institution in many directions.
He died on January 25th at the age of 77.