Difference between revisions of "Daniel Gooch"
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1816-1889 | 1816-1889. Locomotive Engineer and Manager | ||
* 1816 '''Daniel Gooch''' was born in Bedlington, Northumberland, on 24th August. As a young boy '''Gooch''' met [[George Stephenson]] and, as soon as he was old enough, he became an engineer at the the locomotive factory owned by [[Edward Pease]] and [[Robert Stephenson]], in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. | |||
Gooch then found work in the foundry at the Tredegar Ironworks in South Wales, but at the age of twenty-one, he was appointed locomotive superintendent of the Great Western Railway. Gooch took advantage of the broad gauge adopted by Isambard Brunel, the chief engineer at the company. His locomotives travelled at much faster speeds than those made previously. Gooch's locomotives could haul a large load at 60 mph (96 kph). In all, Gooch designed 340 locomotives, including the Iron Duke and the Great Western. | |||
Daniel Gooch worked for the Great Western Railway for twenty-seven years but in 1864 he resigned to concentrate on developing telegraphic communication. Gooch was appointed chairman of the Telegraph Construction and Maintenance Company and director of the Anglo-American Company. | |||
In the 1865 General Election Daniel Gooch was elected as MP for Cricklade. Later that year, when the Great Western Company got into financial difficulties, Gooch agreed to return as chairman. Gooch successfully turned the company back into a profitable organisation. As chairman of the company her fully supported Brunel's proposal to build the steamship, the Great Western. | |||
Gooch served as MP for Cricklade until 1885. After leaving the House of Commons he continued as chairman of the Great Western Company and in 1886 was responsible for the Severn Tunnel project. Daniel Gooch died at Clewer Park, Berkshire on 15th October, 1889. He is buried in St. Andrews Church, Clewer, near Windsor. | |||
Best-known works - | Best-known works - |
Revision as of 09:56, 7 April 2008
1816-1889. Locomotive Engineer and Manager
- 1816 Daniel Gooch was born in Bedlington, Northumberland, on 24th August. As a young boy Gooch met George Stephenson and, as soon as he was old enough, he became an engineer at the the locomotive factory owned by Edward Pease and Robert Stephenson, in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
Gooch then found work in the foundry at the Tredegar Ironworks in South Wales, but at the age of twenty-one, he was appointed locomotive superintendent of the Great Western Railway. Gooch took advantage of the broad gauge adopted by Isambard Brunel, the chief engineer at the company. His locomotives travelled at much faster speeds than those made previously. Gooch's locomotives could haul a large load at 60 mph (96 kph). In all, Gooch designed 340 locomotives, including the Iron Duke and the Great Western.
Daniel Gooch worked for the Great Western Railway for twenty-seven years but in 1864 he resigned to concentrate on developing telegraphic communication. Gooch was appointed chairman of the Telegraph Construction and Maintenance Company and director of the Anglo-American Company.
In the 1865 General Election Daniel Gooch was elected as MP for Cricklade. Later that year, when the Great Western Company got into financial difficulties, Gooch agreed to return as chairman. Gooch successfully turned the company back into a profitable organisation. As chairman of the company her fully supported Brunel's proposal to build the steamship, the Great Western.
Gooch served as MP for Cricklade until 1885. After leaving the House of Commons he continued as chairman of the Great Western Company and in 1886 was responsible for the Severn Tunnel project. Daniel Gooch died at Clewer Park, Berkshire on 15th October, 1889. He is buried in St. Andrews Church, Clewer, near Windsor.
Best-known works -
- Locomotive Assistant to Isambard Kingdom Brunel at GWR from 1837-64
- Laid out the original Swindon Works
- Designed locomotives Firefly 1840, Great Western 1846 and heavy 4-4-0ST design for use west of Exeter.
- Left GWR in 1864 to supervise laying of Atlantic cable but returned the next year as Chairman until his death
Sources of Information
Chris de Winter Hebron, 50 Famous Railwaymen, 2005