Francis William Webb (21 May 1836 — 4 June 1906) was a British locomotive engineer who worked for the London and North Western Railway (LNWR)

Biography

Webb was born in Tixall Rectory, near Stafford, Staffordshire, the second son of William Webb, Rector of Tixall. Showing early interest in mechanical engineering, in 1851 at fifteen years he became an apprentice at Crewe Works under Francis Trevithick until 1857.

He returned to Crewe in 1859, becoming Chief Draughtsman and in 1861 was appointed Works Manager at Crewe and Chief Assistant to John Ramsbottom.

In 1866 he moved to the Bolton Iron and Steel Co. It has been suggested that this move was arranged by the LNWR management to enable him to gain experience of steel making.

In 1871 he became Locomotive Superintendent of the LNWR, and sent John Aspinall to the United States. There remains some controversy over Webb's contributions to the LNWR, particularly over its use of compound locomotives which are regarded as being of poor quality. His first compound was of the Experiment class.

He did much inventing and received many patents. He was Vice-President of Institution of Civil Enginners and the Institution of Mechanical Enginners.

Webb retired in 1903 to Bournemouth, being replaced by George Whale. He died aged 70. He had never married.

External Links

• Steam Index (http://www.steamindex.com/people/webb.htm)
• London and North Western Railway Society (http://www.lnwrs.org.uk/)

Preceded by: John Ramsbottom

Chief Mechanical Engineers of the London and North Western Railway -1903

Followed by: George Whale 1903-1909