11th April 2019 · The North British Loco Company at War

Presenter: John Ross

Our well-attended April meeting featured John Ross from Elgin with the presentation “The North British Loco Company at War”.

The company history, Neilson/Neilson Reid, Dubs & Sharp Stewart was outlined. The 20,000th locomotive was constructed in 1913. Articulated locomotives, 600mm/24” gauge were constructed for the trench network during WW1. Locomotives for use in the Empire, India, Africa, South Africa and Australia continued to be built: of 1400 produced, 700 were for commercial customers, the remainder for the war effort. NB Loco produced Shells, Mines, Tanks, Torpedo Tubes, Gun Carriages & Trench Howitzers, producing 6,000 High explosive shells per week. NB participated in building the BE.2 Aircraft during WW1.

Women were employed producing shells, and in locomotive finishing off, e.g., coupling rods, axleboxes, and in Dubs Drawing Office as tracers.

The well appointed Drawing Office operated as Springburn Red Cross Hospital from December 1914 until 1918, 8,000 + soldiers successfully receiving treatment. Artificial Limbs were designed and produced, though slightly cumbersome.

This was a most educational and enlightening presentation, incorporating many facts your scribe is unable to include because of space limitations. At the meeting’s conclusion, Ken Falconer thanked the Meeting Chairman, Dr Peter Howell, on his retiral after 45 years service.