Sir William Hepburn McAlpine, 6th Baronet (born 1936 in London), is a British millionaire businessman, a former director of the construction company Sir Robert McAlpine.
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Born in London at the family owned Dorchester Hotel,[1] he was raised at the family home in Surrey.[1] Alistair McAlpine, Baron McAlpine of West Green is his younger brother.
Educated at Charterhouse School,[1] he left to join the family firm. After World War II was a busy time for construction, with McAlpine starting his career at Hayes Depot, Middlesex, a 30-acre (120,000 m2) site which housed the McAlpine's railway locomotive and wagon fleet.
He inherited the baronetcy in 1990 on the death of Sir Robert McAlpine, 5th Baronet. He is patron of the Clan MacAlpine Society.[2] He served as High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire for 1999.
An acknowledged railway enthusiast, he returned to Hayes depot during the Beeching Axe to find that the company's Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0ST No.31 was for sale for £100. He purchased the locomotive, and moved it to his country estate home at Fawley, Buckinghamshire.[3] This marked the start in 1961 of the Fawley Hill Railway, a private railway which now runs to over a mile long, combining the steepest gradient at 1:13 on a British railway, and includes:[4]
In addition, the perimeter of the railway line is adorned with several prominent architectural features which McAlpine acquired - although these were received mostly as donations; these include the original Wembley Stadium Flagpoles, some early cast-iron bridge parapets, and several arched structures from prominent London locations. Entrance to Fawley Hill Railway is by invitation only on select days, usually during the summer period.
After starting Fawley Hill Railway, McAlpine purchased GWR 4073 Class 4079 Pendennis Castle in partnership with John Gretton, which was subsequently housed at Market Overton in Rutland.[1] After being moved to the Steamtown, she was sold to Rio Tinto and moved to Australia. McAlpine purchased LNER Class A3 4472 Flying Scotsman after a financially disastrous tour of North America, to save her from sale to an America consortium.[1]
McAlpine became involved in a plan to save the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway and became its chairman. After the efforts of Dr Peter Beet to preserve the LMS 10(A) shed at Carnforth, McAlpine owned from 1974 a shareholding then a controlling interest until 1987 in the visitor attraction that became Steamtown. McAlpine presently chairs the RH&DR, the Dart Valley Railway, and established and chairs the Railway Heritage Trust.[1]
British Rail Class 60 60008 of EWS was named in his honour.
His first wife was an alcoholic,[5] with whom he has two grown-up children. He married his second wife at the restored station on his private railway.
| Baronetage of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Sir (Robert) Edwin McAlpine, 5th Baronet |
Baronet (of Knott Park) 1990–present |
Incumbent |