Robert Harvey Burnett
Robert Harvey Burnett (1838-1916) of Beyer, Peacock and Co
1838 Born in Ross, Scotland the son of Gregory Burnett, a Land Agent, and his wife Mary Gordon.
1864 Appointed as Locomotive Superintendent of the Metropolitan Railway.[1]
1917 Obituary [2]
ROBERT HARVEY BURNETT, born 18th May, 1838, at Ardross, Ross-shire, died in London 13th December, 1916.
On leaving Glasgow University in 1856, he became a pupil of Messrs. Beyer, Peacock and Company.
In 1862 he was sent to Bilbao, Spain, to superintend the starting to work of a number of locomotives built by the firm for the Bilbao and Tudela Railway.
On his return in 1863, he made experiments in connection with the design of locomotives for the Metropolitan ("Underground") Railway, then approaching completion, for which Messrs. Beyer, Peacock and Co. had the contract. He was appointed the first locomotive superintendent and resident engineer of the Metropolitan Railway and held that position for 8 years.
In 1872 he returned to Messrs. Beyer, Peacock and Co., soon becoming Works Manager. In 1877 he resigned on account of ill-health, and after 12 months' rest, was appointed locomotive engineer to the Government Railways of New South Wales. He resigned in 1882, and after practising as a consulting engineer for some years, rejoined Messrs. Beyer, Peacock and Co. in 1889, whom he represented in London at the time of his death.
Mr. Burnett was elected an Associate Member 6th February, 1866, and transferred to the class of Members 2nd May, 1871.
1917 Obituary [3]