Railway Giants: The Scottish Rebel Who Changed the Railways – Robert Fairlie and His Famous Locomotive

It is 1830, and in Glasgow, a boy is born who will change the world of railways. Robert Francis Fairlie, son of engineer T. Archibald Fairlie, began his career as a locomotive supervisor and later invented the famous Fairlie locomotive. However, his life was not only about successes – he had to deal with accusations of abduction and false testimony before his second locomotive, Little Wonder, conquered the world.

Scotland, too, has its railway giants. The remarkable story of Robert Francis Fairlie, an ambitious locomotive designer whose life was complicated by a notable court case, is detailed in the latest episode of Railway Giants.

Early Life and Career

It is 1830, and we are in the industrial city of Glasgow, Scotland. In this city, engineer T. Archibald Fairlie and his wife Margaret welcome a baby boy named Robert Francis, as reported by Steamindex. Scotland has been part of the larger United Kingdom for over 100 years.

In the early 19th century, Scotland, along with England, becomes the heart of the Industrial Revolution, which is set to change the established order in Europe and the world. Britain is entering its golden age. Soon, in 1837, Queen Victoria will ascend to the British throne, under whose reign the British Empire will control nearly a quarter of the world's landmass, inhabited by about a quarter of the world's population. Considering this, it is logical that the Industrial Revolution, comparable in significance only to the Agricultural Revolution of the Neolithic era, found its cradle in the heart of the greatest empire the world has ever seen, in England and Scotland.

Returning to our giant, as Maybrey reports, Robert Fairlie had a close connection to the railway from an early age. After training in railway works in Crewe and Swindon, his career path was clear. In 1852, he started his first job as a locomotive supervisor at the Londonderry & Coleraine Railway. He remained there for four years before seeking a new challenge. An opportunity to gain experience abroad opened up, which the young Robert could not miss. He spent the following years in India and Ireland, returning to the British Isles in 1859 to work as a consultant in London.

In 1862, his promising career was disrupted by a remarkable case. His longtime business partner, George England, filed a lawsuit against Robert at the criminal court. The lawsuit claimed that Robert Francis Fairlie had eloped with England's daughter, Eliza Anne England, and falsely sworn in an affidavit that her father, George England, had consented to the marriage, which was not true. After the marriage, they fled to Spain. However, during the hearings, it was revealed that Eliza Anne England was an illegitimate child and, under contemporary English law, was considered a child of no one. Thus, she had no legal ties to George England and could marry whomever she chose. The verdict was clear: there was no case to answer, which equated to Robert's innocence.

Innovations and Success

Robert always showed creativity, so it was no surprise when, in 1864, he patented a machine later known as the Fairlie locomotive. This locomotive was primarily designed for hauling heavy loads on winding narrow-gauge railway lines. The first locomotive of this design, built by James Cross & Co. for the Neath & Brecon Railway, hit the tracks in 1865.

However, it was his second locomotive, Little Wonder, that brought him great fame. The first model was built in 1869 for the Festiniog Railway in Wales. This locomotive earned admiration from engineers worldwide. Fairlie received orders for locomotives of this type from several dozen railway companies. After this phenomenal success, Robert traveled to Venezuela in 1873 to explore and study new tracks there. Unfortunately, he contracted sunstroke with fever and blood poisoning, from which he never fully recovered. Despite this, he continued to work, travel, and conduct business. Eventually, his deteriorating health took its toll. Robert died in London in 1885 and was buried at West Norwood Cemetery.

Source: Steamindex, Maybrey