William Arthur Lelean (1866-1934), in charge of the locomotive department of Rendel, Palmer and Tritton
1932 Bio Note.[1]
Mr. W. A. Lelean, President of the Institution for Session 1932-33, was educated at Queen’s College, Taunton. He gained his practical training as a premium apprentice under Mr. W. Dean at Swindon. During that time Mr. Lelean obtained a Whitworth Exhibition, and after some years in the Drawing Office on . Carriage and Wagon and then on Locomotive work, he was transferred to the Company’s Inspection of Materials Staff. In 1896, he was appointed by Sir Alex. Rendel as Inspector in charge of locomotive contracts at Hyde Park Works, Glasgow. In 1909 he was transferred to the headquarters of his Firm (now. Messrs. Rendel, Palmer and Tritton), in Westminster, and has been for many years in charge of their Locomotive Department. His Principals being the Consulting Engineers to the Indian Government, Mr. Lelean has been largely responsible for his Firm in concurrence with the Rail-way Board and in collaboration with the Locomotive building firms for the origination of the design and details of most of the locomotives sent to India, and for the supervision of the subsequent inspection of these engines under construction. He was one of the earliest Vice-Presidents of the Institution, and has been largely responsible for the raising of its status and importance in the Engineering World.
1934 Obituary
WE regret to record the recent death of Mr. W. A. Lelean. who, being in charge of the locomotive department of Messrs. Rendel, Palmer and Tritton, had much to do with locomotive standardisation in India.
Mr. Lelean was a premium apprentice of Mr. William Dean, of the Great Western. One of his activities during recent years was concerned with the progress of the Institution of Locomotive Engineers, of which he was President for 1932-33.
1933 Obituary [2]
WILLIAM ARTHUR LELEAN had been in charge, since 1909, of the locomotive department of the consulting engineers to the Indian Government at Westminster. Besides the control of the inspection of locomotive contracts, his work was concerned more particularly with the design and details of the various standard types of locomotives called for by the Railway Board of India, which he carried out under the supervision of the consulting engineers and in collaboration with the locomotive builders.
He was born in 1866 at Port Hope, Ontario, and was educated at Queen's College, Taunton.
In 1882 he commenced a five years' apprenticeship with the Great Western Railway, and during this time received his technical education at the College, Swindon. He was then transferred to the drawing office. In 1891 Mr. Lelean gained a Whitworth Exhibition, and was subsequently promoted to the company's staff as inspector of materials.
He joined Sir Alexander M. Rendel and Son (now Messsrs. Rendel, Palmer and Tritton) in 1896 as inspector and was later placed in charge of locomotive contracts in the Glasgow district.
He went to Hanover in 1901 in charge of a locomotive contract placed there.
In 1909 Mr. Lelean was appointed chief inspector of the consulting engineers' locomotive department at Westminster, of which he took charge.
He had been a Member of the Institution since 1910, and held the office of President of the Institution of Locomotive Engineers for 1932-3.
He died on 27th December 1933.
1933 Obituary.[3]
William Arthur Lelean was born in 1866 and was educated at Queen's College, Taunton, he served as a premium apprentice on the Great Western Railway under Mr. W. Dean at Swindon, and after gaining a Whitworth Exhibition was transferred to the drawing office and subsequently to the company’s staff for the inspection of materials.
In 1896 he joined the inspection staff of the firm of Sir Alexander M. Rendel and Son (now Messrs. Rendel, Palmer and Tritton), and was placed in charge of locomotive contracts in the Glasgow district, and later on the‘ Continent. He was transferred in 1909 to the head office in Westminster, and has since been in charge of their locomotive department. His work involved the control of the inspection of locomotive contracts both in this country and on the Continent, and, in addition, the design of the numerous classes of locomotives for the Indian and other railways, for whom the firm acted as consulting engineers- came under his supervision.
Since 1924 he has been mainly occupied in elaborating, in conjunction with the locomotive builders, the detailed designs of the Indian Railway Board’s standard types of locomotives.
Mr. Lelean was one of the Founder Members of this Institution, and was a signatory of the original Act of Incorporation. His zeal on its behalf was unremitting,; and his efforts have played no small part in raising it to its present status.
He had been in indifferent health for some time, and died suddenly, on Wednesday, December 27th last, at the age of 68.