photo: Wikimedia Commonns / Public domain/Assembly hall at Crewe Locomotive Works
Francis Webb, a bold innovator on the tracks, created revolutionary steel locomotives and reduced coal consumption, fundamentally changing the world of railways. His progressive visions and charitable work inspired many, yet he had to contend with sharp criticism. Discover the story of a man who remained a legend even after his death.
It’s 1836, and we find ourselves in the small village of Tixall in the Midlands of England. This is where Francis Webb was born, as noted by SteamIndex. In England, and indeed across Great Britain, the period known as the Industrial Revolution is at its peak. It has been over 70 years since physicist and inventor James Watt introduced the world to one of history’s game-changing inventions, the steam engine. The Industrial Revolution had already been reshaping established systems for decades. People were moving en masse from rural, agrarian areas to rapidly growing cities, sprouting around new factories mostly owned by private entrepreneurs. While Britain’s economy was booming, not everything was rosy.
Many industrialists viewed workers as mere labor resources, treating them accordingly. 16-hour workdays, no holidays, working 7 days a week, and non-existent health insurance were common practices at the start of the 19th century. Over time, social legislation began to improve conditions for the working class, but they remained far from ideal.
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Britain, however, was benefiting greatly from the Industrial Revolution, leading the world in many technical fields. This progress aligned with its status as a global power. Long ago, Britain had replaced Spain as the world’s largest colonial empire, and its dominance would only continue to grow, despite the loss of the 13 American colonies, which, after a successful rebellion, would form the United States. Britain’s empire would reach its height in the early 20th century, controlling about a quarter of the world’s landmass—an unparalleled achievement in history.
Let’s return to Francis Webb. As a young boy, he displayed remarkable talent, as noted by Crewehc.co.uk. His parents, William and Marie, recognized his intellect and sent him, at the age of just 15, to apprentice in Crewe under Francis Trevithick, the locomotive superintendent of London and North Western Railway (LNWR) and the son of Richard Trevithick, the designer of the world’s first railway locomotive. After completing his studies in 1856, Francis became a locomotive engineer at Crewe. It wasn’t long before this ambitious young man began rising rapidly through the company ranks. By 1859, he was appointed chief engineer, and by 1861, he became the manager of the entire factory and the chief assistant to LNWR’s locomotive superintendent, John Ramsbottom.
Recognizing Webb’s potential, LNWR sent him to Bolton in 1866 to study steel processing and industrial use at the Bolton Iron and Steel Company. When John Ramsbottom retired as locomotive superintendent in 1871, Francis assumed his position, making him responsible for the construction of locomotives and the production of railway equipment for what was then the largest railway company in the world. Webb also became involved in local politics, elected as Crewe’s councilman in 1886 and later serving as the town’s mayor.
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In his new role, Webb did not hesitate to showcase his creativity. In 1872, he became the first in the world to use high-quality steel in locomotive construction. Webb was also open to leveraging the ideas of others. In 1876, he learned of Frenchman Anatole Mallet’s experiments with compound steam engines and decided to explore this direction himself.
After finding satisfactory experimental results, Webb ordered the production of five series of express locomotives equipped with compound steam engines between 1883 and 1894. These locomotives were highly praised by the engineering community and appreciated by LNWR’s board, as they achieved up to a 12% reduction in coal consumption. However, they were extremely demanding in terms of maintenance, a frequent complaint from the operations staff.
This seemingly minor dispute escalated quickly. Webb’s later years at LNWR were marked by ongoing conflicts with the operations department over the new compound steam engines. When the newly appointed LNWR General Manager, Frederick Henderson, sided with the operations department in 1901, it became clear that Webb’s days at LNWR were numbered. Unsurprisingly, Webb retired in 1903, citing growing health problems as his reason.
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During his career, Webb was responsible for overseeing over 20,000 workers. He passed away peacefully in Bournemouth in 1906. Since he never married, Webb bequeathed most of his fortune to charitable causes. Notably, he donated £53,857 to establish an orphanage in Crewe, which was later named after him (the Webb Orphanage).