James Beatty (engineer) facts for kids
James Beatty (born March 31, 1820 – died March 11, 1856) was an Irish railway engineer. He was known for building railways quickly, especially during the Crimean War.
Early Life and Career
James Beatty was born in Ireland in 1820. His father was a doctor from Enniskillen. When James was 22, in 1842, he started working on railways. His first job was with companies run by Samuel Morton Peto and Edward Betts. He helped build the railway line between Norwich and Lowestoft in England.
In 1853, James traveled to Nova Scotia in Canada. There, he worked on planning the European and North American Railway. Even though the weather was very bad, he managed to survey and mark out the railway line quickly.
The Grand Crimean Central Railway
Towards the end of 1854, James Beatty got a very important job. He was chosen by Peto, Thomas Brassey, and Betts to be the Chief Engineer for the Grand Crimean Central Railway. This railway was built to help the Allied forces during the Crimean War. It was needed to move supplies to the soldiers quickly.
James arrived in Balaklava in January 1855. He joined Donald Campbell and his team, who had already started planning the railway. James was full of energy and excitement. His hard work made sure the railway was built very fast. Part of the line even had a very steep slope, but it was still laid in a short time.
Later Life and Legacy
In April 1855, James Beatty was involved in an accident on the railway. A train went out of control, and he was injured. At first, the injury did not seem serious. However, he never fully recovered from it.
By November, the railway was mostly finished, but James was still not well. He left for England to recover. Sadly, his health continued to get worse. He died in March 1856, at the age of 35. He passed away from an aortic aneurysm, which doctors believed might have been caused by the accident. His wife was given a special pension, similar to what a colonel's family would receive if they died serving their country.
