The last locomotive engineer
A hand painted retirement citation and other related documents discovered during a house clearance in Lyme Regis divulge a fascinating story of 1900s railway engineering.
They are one of three auction lots of railwayana to be sold at Chilcotts Auctioneers June sale in Honiton.
The citation marks the retirement in 1923 of Robert Wallace Urie, the last locomotive engineer of the London and South Western Railway Company. He was born in Scotland in 1854 and after a career based in Scotland, transferred to the London and South Western Railway in 1897, later relocating with the locomotive works to Eastleigh in Hampshire.
The Scot was responsible for the building of 26 engines in 12 years; he was so influential that these are known as the ‘Urie Class’ of engines, a sub-group of the King Arthur class of locomotive.
Auctioneer, Duncan Chilcott said: “There’s a strong link with the South West, as these engines were built to haul the heavy express trains serving Devon and Somerset.”
Interestingly, the retirement citation, intricately executed by Waterlow & Sons of London Wall, is topped with a beautifully rendered image of the first of the King Arthur class locomotives, the ‘Excalibur’. This locomotive was built in 1918, making it 100 years’ old this year.
Amongst the documentation is a legal application to patent the specification of the ‘Eastleigh Superheater’ which Urie developed, a number of technical drawings and Urie’s handwritten notes to a solicitor – including his indignant response to what appears to be a question about the originality of the design.
“The paperwork paints a full picture of Urie’s life and the activities of the London and South Western Railway organisation – it is very rare to have this depth of insight into the life and work of such an important man,” explained Duncan.
“Documents include railway-related correspondence: Urie’s notebooks, his hand-jotted technical drawings and locomotive costings, a blueprint and other details.”
The sale includes a large engraved silver cup, personally presented to Robert Urie by his colleagues, ‘The Supervisors and Running Staffs at Exeter, Salisbury, Bournemouth and Dorchester Districts’. Several letters from various railway workers reveal the high esteem in which they held Mr Urie.
The collection is being sold in three lots at the Fine Art, Antiques and Collectors Items sale on June 2. This will be held at Chilcotts Silver Street sale room in Honiton, close to Honiton Community College. Viewing is on Thursday, 9:30am to 5pm, Friday 9:30am to 7pm and on Sale Day from 8:30am. The sale starts at 10:30am.
Viewing and live online bidding will also be available via the-saleroom.com.
