Donald Campbell (engineer) facts for kids

Donald Campbell was an important railway engineer in the 1800s. He helped build railways in different parts of the world. His work was especially important during the Crimean War. He played a key role in creating a vital supply line.

Donald Campbell: A Railway Pioneer

Donald Campbell started his career as a railway engineer. An engineer designs and builds things like railways. He worked on a big project in New Brunswick, Canada. This project was called the European and North American Railway. Campbell helped to survey the land for this new railway. Surveying means carefully measuring the land. This step is very important before building any railway tracks. He worked alongside another engineer named James Beatty.

The Crimean War Railway

In the mid-1850s, a big war was happening. It was called the Crimean War. British, French, and Ottoman soldiers were fighting against Russia. The soldiers needed a lot of supplies. These supplies included food, weapons, and medical help. It was very hard to get these supplies to the soldiers. The ground was muddy and rough.

Building a Lifeline

To solve this problem, a special railway was planned. It was called the Grand Crimean Central Railway. This railway would carry supplies from the port to the soldiers. Three important builders, Peto, Brassey, and Betts, were hired to build it. They chose James Beatty to be the chief engineer. Beatty then picked Donald Campbell as his assistant.

In December 1854, Campbell left Canada and traveled to the Crimea. He arrived before Beatty. Campbell quickly started working on the railway. He helped to survey the land for the first part of the tracks. By the time Beatty arrived in January 1855, much of this important work was already done.

Leading the Project

Building a railway during a war was very difficult. The conditions were tough. In November 1855, James Beatty became unwell. He had also been injured in an accident. Because of this, Beatty had to return to England. Donald Campbell was then chosen to take his place. He became the chief engineer of the Grand Crimean Central Railway. This was a very important job. He was now in charge of making sure supplies reached the soldiers.