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William Moorsom
Captain William Scarth Moorsom (1804–1863) was an English soldier and engineer. After assisting Robert Stephenson he created railway lines in England, Belgium, Germany and Ceylon.
Moorsom was born at Whitby into a military family, the youngest of the four sons of Admiral Sir Robert Moorsom, who had served at the Trafalgar, and his wife Eleanor.
He entered the Royal Military College in 1819, and became especially adept in fortification and military surveying. In 1823 he joined the 79th Highlanders Regiment, then stationed in Ireland. During his stay there, he made a survey of Dublin and its neighbourhood, which remained in use until it was superseded by the publication of the Ordnance Survey. In 1825 he served in the Mediterranean as a lieutenant in the 7th Fusiliers. In 1826 he transferred to the 69th Regiment, and then to the 52nd Light Infantry in Nova Scotia, having been promoted to Captain.
During this time he served as deputy quartermaster-general. He produced a survey of the harbour and environs of Halifax, along with reports on transport feasibility to all parts of the province, and published a monograph Letters From Nova Scotia; comprising Sketches of a Young Country in 1830.
Although he was highly regarded he was unable to purchase a suitable promotion so returned to England and bought out his commission in 1832. He had met his wife, Isabella Ann Morris, daughter of Lewis Wilkins, judge and head of the supreme court, in Nova Scotia. They lived with his father at Cosgrove Priory, near Stony Stratford, until his death in April 1835.
With his experience of military surveying, Moorsom assisted in the construction of the London and Birmingham Railway construction of which had begun in 1833 and of which his eldest brother, Constantine Richard Moorsom was Secretary to the Board. Moorsom's survey of the valley of the Ouse allowed the railway line to be straightened, and eliminated the need for a large embankment. This feat attracted the attention of Robert Stephenson. He then spent two years studying new railway lines all over the country and in 1836 undertook a survey of the country between Birmingham and Gloucester in order to build a railway. The Birmingham and Gloucester Railway had found Brunel's proposals out of its financial reach. Moorsom's brief in 1836 was to build the line as cheaply as possible, which he did by following open country, thereby avoiding populated areas where land prices were higher. Arriving at the Lickey Hills there was no option but to climb, using cable assistance if necessary.
From experience gained observing mineral railways in the north, Moorsom preferred locomotives. The general opinion at that time was that adhesion was not possible on such a steep incline and so the directors of the company set out to buy stationary engines for cable-haulage. They found the cost prohibitive; so, Moorsom was allowed to continue what was thought to be a considerable gamble. The resulting Lickey Incline has entered railway folklore.
Since no English manufacturer would, or could, supply him, he ordered 4-2-0 locomotives from Norris of Philadelphia in the United States. The loco they supplied had 4-foot (1.219 m) driving wheels, cylinder bore of 10+1⁄2 inches (267 mm), and 18-inch (460 mm) stroke, weighing 10+1⁄4 long tons (10.4 t)
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William Moorsom
Captain William Scarth Moorsom (1804–1863) was an English soldier and engineer. After assisting Robert Stephenson he created railway lines in England, Belgium, Germany and Ceylon.
Moorsom was born at Whitby into a military family, the youngest of the four sons of Admiral Sir Robert Moorsom, who had served at the Trafalgar, and his wife Eleanor.
He entered the Royal Military College in 1819, and became especially adept in fortification and military surveying. In 1823 he joined the 79th Highlanders Regiment, then stationed in Ireland. During his stay there, he made a survey of Dublin and its neighbourhood, which remained in use until it was superseded by the publication of the Ordnance Survey. In 1825 he served in the Mediterranean as a lieutenant in the 7th Fusiliers. In 1826 he transferred to the 69th Regiment, and then to the 52nd Light Infantry in Nova Scotia, having been promoted to Captain.
During this time he served as deputy quartermaster-general. He produced a survey of the harbour and environs of Halifax, along with reports on transport feasibility to all parts of the province, and published a monograph Letters From Nova Scotia; comprising Sketches of a Young Country in 1830.
Although he was highly regarded he was unable to purchase a suitable promotion so returned to England and bought out his commission in 1832. He had met his wife, Isabella Ann Morris, daughter of Lewis Wilkins, judge and head of the supreme court, in Nova Scotia. They lived with his father at Cosgrove Priory, near Stony Stratford, until his death in April 1835.
With his experience of military surveying, Moorsom assisted in the construction of the London and Birmingham Railway construction of which had begun in 1833 and of which his eldest brother, Constantine Richard Moorsom was Secretary to the Board. Moorsom's survey of the valley of the Ouse allowed the railway line to be straightened, and eliminated the need for a large embankment. This feat attracted the attention of Robert Stephenson. He then spent two years studying new railway lines all over the country and in 1836 undertook a survey of the country between Birmingham and Gloucester in order to build a railway. The Birmingham and Gloucester Railway had found Brunel's proposals out of its financial reach. Moorsom's brief in 1836 was to build the line as cheaply as possible, which he did by following open country, thereby avoiding populated areas where land prices were higher. Arriving at the Lickey Hills there was no option but to climb, using cable assistance if necessary.
From experience gained observing mineral railways in the north, Moorsom preferred locomotives. The general opinion at that time was that adhesion was not possible on such a steep incline and so the directors of the company set out to buy stationary engines for cable-haulage. They found the cost prohibitive; so, Moorsom was allowed to continue what was thought to be a considerable gamble. The resulting Lickey Incline has entered railway folklore.
Since no English manufacturer would, or could, supply him, he ordered 4-2-0 locomotives from Norris of Philadelphia in the United States. The loco they supplied had 4-foot (1.219 m) driving wheels, cylinder bore of 10+1⁄2 inches (267 mm), and 18-inch (460 mm) stroke, weighing 10+1⁄4 long tons (10.4 t)