A1 Pacific No 60127

Today's the day ..................... to talk about Wilson

Wilson Worsdell (1850-1920) was a member of a Quaker family renowned for three generations of prominent engineers, particularly in the railway industry of the 19th century. In 1890, he succeeded his brother Thomas William, as Chief Mechanical Engineer of the NER at Gateshead. During the twenty years that he was there, he introduced 26 different classes of locomotives, some of which existed until the end of steam in the 1960s.

Besides his railway achievements, he was interested in the welfare of his workforce. The working day for enginemen was reduced to ten hours and overtime payments were introduced.

Thirty years after his death, British Railways named an A1 Pacific locomotive No 60127 Wilson Worsdell in his honour .............