Sharp, Roberts and Company

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Sharp, Roberts and Company was a Locomotive manufacturer in Manchester, England.

Thomas Sharp and Richard Roberts opened the Atlas Works in 1828 to manufacture textile machinery and machine tools.

They had built a few stationary steam engines, and in 1833 built a locomotive, Experiment for the Liverpool and Manchester Railway. It was a four-wheeled 2-2-0 with vertical cylinders over the leading wheels. After a number of modifications, three similar engines were built for the Dublin and Kingstown Railway. Although they were relatively fast, they were too hard on the track at speed.

A new 2-2-2 design was produced with horizontal inside cylinders under the smokebox and additional bearings to support the crank axle. Around 600 of these locos were built between 1837 and 1857. Ten of the first were sold to the Grand Junction Railway, with the "Sharpies" becoming a standard to compare with the "Bury" engines.

In 1843, Roberts left and the firm became Sharp Bros. During 1851 and 1852 twenty engines were built for the London and North Western Railway to the design of Edward McConnell, the so-called"Bloomers," subcontracted from Wolverton.

In 1852, the senior partner, John Sharp, retired and was replaced by Charles Patrick Stewart, the name of the company changing to Sharp Stewart and Company. Thomas Sharp also retired and was succeeded by Stephen Robinson. In 1860 sole rights were obtained for Giffard's patent injector. The company acquired limited liability in 1864.

The company provided a number of 0-4-0 tender engines for the Furness Railway of which Number 20, built in 1863 has been restored to working order by the Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway in Cumbria. In 1862, the company began making larger engines, frstly some 4-6-0 saddle tank engines for the Great Indian Peninsula Railway. By 1865 they were building 0-8-0s, again for India.

Since they were also dealing in general brass and ironmongery, and machine tools, it became necessary to move, which they did in 1888. They took over and moved to the Clyde Locomotive Works in Glasgow, renaming it Atlas Works.

A number of compounds were built for the Argentine Central Railway in 1889, some 4-4-0 and some 2-8-0. In 1892 they received an order for seventy five 4-4-0s and 0-6-0s from the Midland Railway. By now they had built a number of 4-6-0 engines for overseas railways, but in 1894 came their first order for a British line, the "Jones Goods" of the Highland Railway. By the end of the century they were supplying railways at home and all over the world.

In 1903, having built over 5000 engines, the company amalgamated with Neilson Reid and Company and Dübs and Company to form the North British Locomotive Company.

[edit] Reference

• Lowe, J.W., (1989) British Steam Locomotive Builders, Guild Publishing