The North British Locomotive Company

The North British Locomotive Company was formed in 1903 through the amalgamation of three Glasgow companies: Sharp Stewart at the Atlas Works, Springburn (previously in Manchester); Neilson Reid at the Hyde Park Works, Springburn; and Dübs and Co at the Queen's Park Works, Polmadie. This made it the largest locomotive-building company in Europe, capable of producing 600 engines per year. All three sites were retained, though the workload decreased steadily after a peak in 1905 and the Atlas Works later suffered from temporary closure. In 1909 a central administration building was opened in Springburn, close to the Hyde Park Works.

The North British Locomotive Company adopted the distinctive diamond-shaped works plate of its constituent company Dübs & Co.

NORTH BRITISH LOCOMOTIVE COMPANY, LTD. GLASGOW 1935 QUEEN'S PARK WORKS No 24154

This example (which may not be original) is from LMS Jubilee Class 5596, Bahamas.

As well as building for the home market, the company exported locomotives throughout the world.

2921 "Masai of Kenya" was one of a batch of 2-8-2 Tribal class locomotives built at the Queen's Park Works around 1950 for the East African Railways and Harbours (metre gauge), and is now in the railway museum in Nairobi.

This 4-8-2+2-8-4 Garratt was built for South African Railways (3' 6" gauge) and classified by them as GMAM no 4112. It is 96' 8" long and weighs 192 tons. After being withdrawn from service, it was returned to the UK. It is owned by Springburn Museum, but is currently displayed at Summerlee Industrial Heritage Museum, Coatbridge, where it dwarfs the adjacent truck.

Not all the steam locomotives exported by the North British Locomotive Co have been withdrawn from use.

Here South African Railways 4-8-2 class 15F 3040, built at the Queen's Park Works in about 1944, is seen hauling a passenger charter train near Sannaspos in the Free State in 1998.
Another class 15F locomotive has been reserved for exhibition in the Glasgow Transport Museum.

This is another South African loco, 4-8-4 class 25NC 3410, built in 1953, 91' 6" long with its tender and weighing in at 213 tons. It too is hauling a charter train in 1998. All three South African Railways locomotives shown here were fitted with a mechanical stoker.

25NC no 3405 is currently being overhauled in England by the North British Locomotive Society at the Buckinghamshire Rail Centre, Quainton.

The company failed to adapt as electric and diesel traction superseded steam, and it was finally declared bankrupt on 19 April 1962, with the Queen's Park, Atlas and Hyde Park works closed the following year after completing outstanding orders. The Atlas and Hyde Park works were demolished in 1979, and the only remaining building of the North British Locomotive Company at Springburn is the administration block in Flemington Street, now taken over by North Glasgow College.
Flemington Street frontage

Many railway-related features can be seen on the frontage, including representations of Speed and Science.

Front view of loco above door

Bibliography:

Books:
Nigel S.C. Macmillan "Locomotive apprentice at the North British Locomotive Co." Plateway Press, 1992
Murdoch Nicolson "Glasgow: locomotive builder to Britain" Glasgow City Libraries and Archives, 1998
Murdoch Nicolson and Mark O'Neill "Glasgow: locomotive builder to the world" Polygon Books, 1987
North British Locomotive Company "A history of the North British Locomotive Co Ltd", 1953
John Thomas "The Springburn Story" David & Charles, 1964

Journal papers:
A I M Fleming, S McKinstry and K Wallace "Decline and fall of the North British Locomotive Company, 1940-62: technological and financial mismanagement or institutional failure?", Business History 42.4, 2000

Videos:
"North British" (1949) and "The other man's job" (1943), Treasures from the Scottish Screen Archive
"Diamonds were forever" (1989), Channel 4

Websites:
Springburn Museum photos (Note that this collection covers Cowlairs Works as well as NBL.)

Primary resources:

The photographic collection
After the liquidation in April 1962 the joint managing director of NBL suggested that the photographic records be deposited in the Mitchell Library, the main reference library run by Glasgow City Council. The Collection consists of about 9000 glass negatives plus approximately 6500 photographic prints. On negative and print the standard image appearing is a recently completed locomotive photographed in front of the workshop. By the 1920s the staff photographers of NBL were producing a variety of studies. Included are many photographs of locomotives being transported along the city streets en route to Glasgow docks. Also available are many spectacular studies of NBL products being loaded on to ships. The photographers did not neglect to show groups of workers or even individual employees. There appear in the Collection many prints, especially dating from the 1940s and 1950s, which record the social and recreational activities of employees.
As Glasgow City Libraries has a photographic department quality prints of NBL material can be supplied. A list of prices charged for photographic processes ia available from the Mitchell Library. Enquiries about the NBL Company Collection should be addressed to:
The Assistant Director,
Reference Services,
The Mitchell Library,
North Street,
Glasgow G3 7DN.

Record books
In addition to photographs, the Mitchell Library houses a number of important volumes relating to NBL and its constituent companies; these include order books, works lists and drawing office registers.

Drawings
Drawings of locomotives built before 1903 by the constituent companies are believed to be in the possession of:
The National Railway Museum,
Leeman Road,
York
YO2 4XJ.

Drawings of locomotives produced by NBL from 1903 onwards are lodged with:
The Archives Department,
University of Glasgow,
Glasgow G12 8QQ.

Genealogy

If you are seeking information about relatives who worked in the railway industry you may wish to consult the Railway Ancestors website.

Back to the Chronology of Glasgow's Railways.
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April 1998
Updated July 1999