Bowman Malcolm facts for kids

Bowman Malcolm (born 1854, died 1933) was a brilliant Irish railway engineer. He started working for the Belfast and Northern Counties Railway (BNCR) and quickly became their main engineer for trains, called the Locomotive Superintendent, when he was just 22 years old! Later, he also became the Chief Civil Engineer, meaning he designed and built things like bridges. He was a big fan of special trains called "compound locomotives" and brought them to Ireland.

Bowman Malcolm's Early Life

Bowman Malcolm was born in Chester, England. His father was a minister. When his father passed away early, his family moved back to Belfast, Ireland. Bowman went to two well-known schools in Belfast: the Royal Belfast Academical Institution (RBAI) and Belfast Royal Academy (BRA).

Becoming a Railway Engineer

In 1870, when Bowman was 16, he started working for the Belfast and Northern Counties Railway. He began as a trainee in the office that designed trains. He learned very quickly and impressed everyone.

Just six years later, in 1876, the head train engineer, Robert Findlay, had to leave his job. Even though Bowman was only 22, he was chosen to take over this important role! This showed how much the railway company trusted his skills.

What a Locomotive Superintendent Does

As the Locomotive Superintendent, Bowman Malcolm was in charge of many things. He managed building new trains and fixing old ones. He also oversaw the construction of passenger cars and freight wagons. He was the one who brought special "two-cylinder compound locomotives" to the BNCR. These trains were more powerful and efficient. He also made sure all passenger trains had automatic vacuum brakes, which made them safer.

Turning Down a Big Offer

In 1891, Bowman was offered a similar job in South America. It came with a "very tempting salary." But he decided to stay in Ireland because of his family. The railway company continued to trust him. In 1906, he was also made the Chief Civil Engineer for the Northern Counties Committee (NCC). This was the new name for the BNCR after it joined the Midland Railway. He also worked as a civil engineer for the Donegal Railway.

Professional Life and Retirement

Bowman Malcolm was a respected member of several important engineering groups. He was on the council of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers. He was also a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers. He even served as president of the Belfast Association of Engineers.

He retired from the NCC at the end of 1922. He had worked for the company for 52 years! For 46 of those years, he was the Locomotive Superintendent.

Bowman Malcolm married Mary Elizabeth Montgomery in 1883. Besides his railway work, he cared about education. He was a deputy governor at his old school, RBAI. He also served on the committee for the Fountain Street School in Belfast for many years.

Bowman Malcolm passed away in Belfast in January 1933, at the age of 78.

Bowman Malcolm's Engineering Achievements

Bowman Malcolm was always interested in new ideas from around the world. He learned about what a German engineer named August von Borries was doing with "two-cylinder compound locomotives." These trains were doing a great job in Prussia (now part of Germany). Other engineers in England, like Thomas Worsdell, also started using them. Bowman Malcolm then brought this new technology to Ireland.

Designing New Locomotives

He studied these compound locomotives carefully for the BNCR. They had "Heavy Compounds" and "Light Compounds." Some of the smaller ones were called 2-4-0s and looked a bit unusual. Two famous trains he designed were the Class D 4-4-0s named Jubilee and Parkmount. These had very large driving wheels, about 7-foot-diameter (2.1 m). He also designed a special 2-4-2T version, called Class S, for narrower railway lines. Many of these trains continued to be used for a long time.

Malcolm also worked on improving steam brakes and even got patents for his ideas.

Building the Coleraine Bridge

One of Bowman Malcolm's biggest achievements as a civil engineer was the railway bridge over the River Bann at Coleraine. This bridge opened in March 1924. It replaced an older bridge from 1860. Bowman Malcolm designed this new bridge, which was about 800-foot-long (240 m). He also oversaw most of its construction.

The bridge had a special part that could open. This opening part used a "Strauss underhung bascule principle." It was the first time this type of opening bridge was used in the United Kingdom!