1924-1925: James Edward Anderson

James Edward Anderson (1871-1945)

President of the Institution of Locomotive Engineers

IMechE Obituary:

JAMES EDWARD ANDERSON. C.B.E., whose death occurred on 15th January 1945, was a locomotive engineer throughout his career.

He was born in 1871 and received his technical education at Robert Gordon's College. After serving his apprenticeship in the works of the Great North of Scotland Railway at Aberdeen, from 1888 to 1893, he continued in the service of the company for a further two years. He then joined Messrs. Sharp, Stewart, and Dubs, Ltd., of Glasgow, as a draughtsman, and after four years' experience entered the service of the Glasgow and South Western Railway as leading draughtsman. In 1902 he became assistant to the chief draughtsman at Messrs. Robert Stephenson and Company's locomotive works, Darlington, and was responsible for the original design of a 2-8-0 locomotive for the Bengal and Nagpur Railway, which was adopted as the standard type for all the Indian State Railways. A year later he joined the Midland Railway at Derby as leading draughtsman, in whose service he continued during the remainder of his career, both during its independent existence and after its absorption into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway. In 1907 he was promoted to be chief draughtsman and four years later was made works manager. Subsequently he acted as chief mechanical engineer and from 1919 to 1923 was deputy chief mechanical engineer. On the amalgamation of the railways in the latter year he was appointed chief superintendent of motive power for the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, a position he retained until his retirement at the close of 1932. 

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