Henry Albert Hoy
Henry Albert Hoy (1855-1910) of Beyer, Peacock and Co
Henry Albert Hoy (1855–1910) was a locomotive engineer with the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway (L&YR).
Hoy was born on 13 January 1855 in London, and educated at King Edward VI's Grammar School in St Albans, and at St John's College, Liverpool University. In 1872 he began an apprenticeship under Francis William Webb at the London and North Western Railway's Crewe Works. In 1878 Hoy transferred to the drawing office, where he designed continuous brakes.
In 1884 Hoy moved to the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway (L&YR), becoming an outdoor assistant in the locomotive department under Barton Wright in Manchester; he was promoted to works manager a year later. In 1886 Hoy was made works manager at the L&YR's new works at Horwich. He worked principally on electrical engineering.
When John Aspinall was appointed General Manager, Hoy became Chief Mechanical Engineer. His principal contribution was the design of an electrification system for the Liverpool to Southport line, including motor bogies.
Hoy's only locomotive was a twenty-strong class of troublesome 2-6-2Ts built 1903–04, though he conducted various other experiments.
In 1904 Hoy resigned from the L&YR to become general manager of Beyer, Peacock and Co in Manchester. He was replaced by George Hughes. There he reorganised the works, but died on 24 May 1910.
1910 Obituary [1]
HENRY ALBERT HOY was born in London on 13th January 1855.
He was educated privately in London, and subsequently at King Edward the Sixth's Grammar School, St. Albans, and St. John's College, Liverpool.
In 1872 he went to Crewe to serve his apprenticeship on the London and North Western Railway, under Mr. F. W. Webb. Having shown an interest in, and aptitude for, the design of railway mechanism, he was in the year 1877 (as a result of the lamentable accident in Wigan, in which an express train was derailed through being split at the facing-points) instructed to make a model of the permanent way where the accident took place, for the use of the coroner and jury. He subsequently made other working models of his own invention, for the purpose of effectually locking facing-points against a similar occurrence. He also constructed working models of Mr. F. W. Webb's interlocking signal and point lever frame.
In 1878 he was transferred to the drawing-office, where he was for some time engaged in scheming and experimenting with various specimens of continuous-acting railway brakes for both mechanical and fluid pressure.
In 1884 he was appointed as an outdoor assistant in the Locomotive Department of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway, under Mr. Barton Wright, and in 1885 he was promoted to the position of works manager at the locomotive works at Miles Platting, Manchester, of this railway, and subsequently, in 1886, to a similar position at the newly-erected works at Horwich, which position he retained for thirteen years.
It was at his initiative, and with the consent of the chief mechanical engineer, Mr. John A. F. Aspinall, that at these works at Horwich the manufacture was undertaken of every variety of electrical apparatus requisite for the Lancashire and Yorkshire system.
High-speed direct-coupled steam dynamos, motors, arc lamps, electric cranes and capstans, all of which were of his design, were constructed under his direct supervision. During this period he brought out a variety of inventions in connection with electrical devices, including electric signalling and interlocking apparatus, more or less associated with railway mechanism.
In 1899 he was appointed Chief Mechanical Engineer, which position he held until 1904, when he was invited by the directors of the old-established locomotive firm, Messrs. Beyer, Peacock and Co., to take charge of, and reorganize, their undertaking. Whilst Chief Mechanical Engineer of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway he had charge — under the direction of the General Manager — of the electrification of the Liverpool and Southport section of that Railway.
He also carried out important works, such as the installation of electrical plant, at the various goods depots on the system, introducing at those places the railway company's own design of power plant, etc.
His death took place at his residence, Herne Hill, Fallowfield, Manchester, on 24th May 1910, at the age of fifty-five.
He became a Member of this Institution in 1891. He was also a Member of The Institution of Civil Engineers.
1910 Obituary [2]
1910 Obituary [3]
HENRY ALBERT HOY died at his residence, Herne Hill, Fallowfield, Manchester, on May 24, 1910. He was born on January 13, 1855, in London. He was educated privately in London, and subsequently at King Edward the Sixth Grammar School, St. Alban's, and St. John's College, Liverpool.
In 1872 he went to Crewe to serve his apprenticeship on the London and North-Western Railway, under Mr. F. W. Webb. Having shown an interest in, and aptitude for, the design of railway mechanism, he was in the year 1877 (as a result of the lamentable accident in Wigan, in which an express train was derailed through being split at the facing points) instructed to make a model of the permanent way where the accident took place, for the use of the coroner and jury. He subsequently made other working models of his own invention for the purpose of effectually locking facing points against a similar occurrence. He also constructed working models of Mr. F. W. Webb's patent interlocking signal and point lever frame.
In 1878 he was transferred. to the drawing office, where he was for some time engaged in scheming and experimenting with various specimens of continuous acting railway brakes for both mechanical and fluid pressure. In 1884 he was appointed as an outdoor assistant in the locomotive department of the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway, under Mr. Barton Wright.
In the year 1885 he was promoted to the position of works manager at the locomotive works at Miles Platting, Manchester, of this railway, and subsequently in 1886 to a similar position at the newly-erected works at Horwich, which position he retained for thirteen years. It was at his initiative, and with the consent of the chief mechanical engineer, Mr. J. A. F. Aspinall, that at these works at Horwich the manufacture was undertaken of every variety of electrical apparatus requisite for the Lancashire and Yorkshire system, such as high-speed direct-coupled steam dynamos, motor-arc lamps, electric cranes, and capstans, all of which were of his design, and constructed under his direct supervision. During this period he took out a variety of patents in connection with electrical devices, including electric signalling and interlocking apparatus, more or less associated with railway mechanism.
In 1899 he was appointed by the directors chief mechanical engineer, which position he held until, 1904, when he was approached by the directors of the old established locomotive firm, Beyer, Peacock & Co., to take charge of, and reorganise, their undertaking. Whilst chief mechanical engineer of the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway, he had charge - under the direction of the general manager - of the electrification of the Liverpool and Southport section of that railway. He also carried out important works, such as the installation of electrical plant at the various goods depots on the system, introducing at those places the railway company's own design of power plant, &c.
He was elected a member of the Iron and Steel Institute in 1901.