Thomas Whitelegg

Thomas Whitelegg was born around 1836-7 in Manchester England, Thomas died at his home in Highgate village in London on 30 March 1911, aged 74. Thomas was the Locomotive, Carriage & Wagon and Marine Superintendent for the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway which today is known as c2c. He began his career as an engineering pupil at the locomotive manufacturering firm Sharp Stewart and Company in Manchester, later becoming a leading erector in that firm. Thomas would later erect a locomotive that was exhibited at the Manchester Exhibition of 1862. He later went on to work for Neilson and Company at their Glasgow factory as well as for Hamilton Windsor Ironworks Co. in Garston, Liverpool (whilst working here his son Robert Harben Whitelegg was born) and where he gained experience in marine engineering and design of pontoons and piers; this was followed by a period of employment for Ruston Proctor & Co in Lincoln. Whilst he was there he worked on the designs of locomotives that were being built for the Great Eastern Railway. He then obtained employment in the drawing office of the GER Works at Stratford, London where he remained until September 1879 when he was then appointed as the Locomotive Carriage & Wagon and Marine Superintendent for the LT&SR at their Plaistow Works. He was in fact the first locomotive superintendent for the LT&SR because from its opening in 1854 until 1875 the line was worked by their contractors Peto, Brassey & Betts. From 1875 until Thomas was appointed the LT&SR rolling stock was hired from the GER. Thomas introduced the highly successful outside cylinder 4-4-2T type which became the mainstay of the LTSR passenger services.

Thomas retired in July 1910. Upon his retirement, his son Robert Harben succeeded him as the Locomotive, Carriage & Wagon Superintendent

A British Rail Class 357 Electrostar EMU (number 357 029) currently operating on the c2c service from Fenchurch Street to Shoeburyness is named in honour of Thomas Whitelegg.