R. & W. Hawthorn, Leslie and Company was a renowned engineering firm that played a significant role in the development of steam engines and locomotives.
The company's history dates back to 1862, when it was founded by Robert and William Hawthorn, and later merged with Leslie in 1879.
Their innovative designs and manufacturing capabilities made them a leading player in the industry.
One of their notable achievements was the construction of the first steam-powered locomotive in the United States in 1868.
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Preserved Locomotives
28 Hawthorn Leslie tank engines are in preservation today. These locomotives are a testament to the company's enduring legacy.
One of the preserved locomotives is the Hawthorn Leslie 0-4-0ST Wn2450, built in 1899 and awaiting overhaul at the Hollycombe Steam Collection. It's a reminder of the company's early work.
The Hawthorn Leslie 0-4-0ST Wn2491, built in 1901, is another preserved locomotive, currently on display at the Barrow Hill Engine Shed. This locomotive is a great example of the company's early designs.
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A total of 28 Hawthorn Leslie tank engines are preserved, with various locomotives located in different parts of the UK and even one in NSW, Australia. This is a remarkable achievement.
Here is a list of some of the preserved locomotives:
- Hawthorn Leslie 0-4-0ST Wn2450 Built 1899 Commander B (formerly Newcastle) awaiting overhaul at the Hollycombe Steam Collection
- Hawthorn Leslie 0-4-0ST Wn2491 Built 1901 Henry at the Barrow Hill Engine Shed
- Hawthorn Leslie 0-4-0ST Wn2711 Built 1907 Cyclops at the Tanfield Railway
- Hawthorn Leslie 0-4-0ST Wn2780 Built 1909 Asbestos (On display) at the Chasewater Railway
- Hawthorn Leslie 0-4-0ST Wn2800 Built 1909 Met
- Hawthorn Leslie 0-4-0ST Wn2859 Built 1911 No.2 Ex Keighley Corporation Gas Dept. at the Tanfield Railway
- Hawthorn Leslie 0-4-0ST Wn2928 Built 1912 Pony also known as Achilles at the Chatham Historic Dockyard
- Hawthorn Leslie 0-4-0ST Wn2988 Built 1913 Wallaby at the Illawarra Light Railway Museum NSW
- Hawthorn Leslie 0-4-0ST Wn3056 Built 1914 NCB No.14 at the Tanfield Railway
- Hawthorn Leslie 0-4-0ST Wn3135 Built 1915 Invincible 37 at the Isle of Wight Steam Railway
- Hawthorn Leslie 0-6-0ST Wn3138 Built 1915 Holwell No.14 Dismantled, awaiting restoration. Ex Goodman Bros, at the Rutland Railway Museum
- Hawthorn Leslie 0-4-0ST Wn3240 Built 1917 Beatty No.139 at the Telford Steam Railway
- Hawthorn Leslie 0-6-0ST Wn3437 Built 1919 Isabel operational at the Epping Ongar Railway
- Hawthorn Leslie 0-6-0ST Wn3513 Built 1927 NCB STAGSHAW at the Telford Steam Railway
- Hawthorn Leslie 0-4-0ST Wn3574 Built 1923 Burra operational at the Illawarra Light Railway Museum NSW
- Hawthorn Leslie 0-6-0ST Wn3575 Built 1923 GLASSHOUGHTON No.3 at the Tanfield Railway
- Hawthorn Leslie 0-4-0ST Wn3581 Built 1924 Thompson & Evershed No. 3Foxfield Railway
- Hawthorn Leslie 0-4-0ST Wn3640 Built 1926 Lord King at the SRPS Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway
- Hawthorn Leslie 0-4-0ST Wn3732 Built 1928 No.13 or The Barra at the Tanfield Railway
- Hawthorn Leslie 0-4-0ST Wn3715 Built 1928 Associated Portland Cement at Swanscombe No.1 at the Colne Valley Railway
- Hawthorn Leslie 0-4-0ST Wn3717 Built 1928 Associated Portland Cement at Swanscombe No.3 at the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre
- Hawthorn Leslie 0-4-0ST Wn3718 Built 1928 Associated Portland Cement at Swanscombe No.4 at the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre
- Hawthorn Leslie 0-4-0ST Wn3799 Built 1935 Penicuik at the Aln Valley Railway
- Hawthorn Leslie 0-6-0ST Wn3827 Built 1934 ex-Corby Iron & Steel Works No. 14 at the East Carlton Country Park
- Hawthorn Leslie 0-6-0ST Wn3837 Built 1934 ex-Corby Iron & Steel Works No. 16 at the Epping Ongar Railway
- Hawthorn Leslie 0-4-0ST Wn3860 Built 1935 Associated Portland Cement Manufacturers, Swanscombe, No.6 at the Middleton Railway
- Hawthorn Leslie 0-4-0ST Wn3865 Built 1936 Singapore Ex HM Dockyards Chatham, at the Rutland Railway Museum
- Hawthorn Leslie 0-6-0ST Wn3931 Built 1938 Linda Returned to steam in May 2015. Cambrian Heritage Railways
History and Designs
R. & W. Hawthorn, Leslie and Company was a locomotive manufacturer that produced a wide range of designs for various railways. They built locomotives to order for main line companies, including four 0-4-4T locomotives for the Metropolitan Railway between 1896 and 1901.
The company also designed and built locomotives to their own specifications, such as a 4-2-2-0 with four cylinders - two inside and two outside - connected separately to the two pairs of driving wheels. This unique design was produced for the Chicago World's Fair of 1893.
They had a number of standard designs, including 0-4-0STs and fireless locomotives. Two 2-4-0 locomotives were supplied to the Kent and East Sussex Railway in 1899.
A Brief History of the Firm
The firm of R. and W. Hawthorn, Leslie and Co., Limited, has a rich history dating back over a century. It's one of the oldest firms in the country.
The original works were founded by Mr. Robert Hawthorn in January 1817 on the east side of Forth Banks, Newcastle. He started with just four workmen and drove all the machinery by hand.
In 1820, Mr. William Hawthorn became a partner with his brother, and the firm was known as R. and W. Hawthorn. This marked a significant turning point in the firm's growth and development.
The two brothers were the sons of Robert Hawthorn, who was an engineer to the owners of Walbottle Colliery for more than fifty years. He was a man of great mechanical ability.
A small portion of the ground where the present works stand was purchased in 1819. It had to be excavated and prepared for the first workshop by Mr. Hawthorn and his men during their evenings off.
The firm made its first steam crane for hoisting ballast from ships around 1820. It was erected at St. Anthony's Quay, on the Tyne.
In December 1822, steam power was first supplied to the works for driving the lathes. This was a significant milestone, as the lathes had previously been driven by men turning a hand wheel.
Designs
Hawthorn Leslie was a company that manufactured locomotives to order for main line companies. They supplied four 0-4-4T locomotives to the Metropolitan Railway between 1896 and 1901.
Their designs were also influenced by customer requests, as seen in the case of F. G. Smith of the Highland Railway, who ordered six 4-6-0s in 1915. However, these locomotives were rejected by the Highland Railway as being too heavy.
In addition to custom orders, Hawthorn Leslie built locomotives to its own designs, such as a 4-2-2-0 with four cylinders - two inside and two outside - connected separately to the two pairs of driving wheels. This unique design was produced for the Chicago World's Fair of 1893.
The company later had a number of standard designs, including 0-4-0STs and fireless locomotives. Two 2-4-0 locomotives were supplied to the Kent and East Sussex Railway in 1899.
Here are some examples of locomotives built by Hawthorn Leslie:
- Two 2-4-0 locomotives were supplied to the Kent and East Sussex Railway in 1899.
- No. 1 Tenterden, a 2-4-0T locomotive, was bought new for the opening of the line and withdrawn for overhaul in 1938.
- No. 2 Northiam, a 2-4-0T locomotive, was bought new for the opening of the line and loaned to several other railways before being scrapped in 1941.
Hawthorn Leslie also collaborated with the English Electric Company to build diesel shunting locomotives for the London, Midland and Scottish Railway in the 1930s. This design formed the basis for the later British Rail Class 08 diesel shunter.
R. and W. Hawthorn, Leslie
R. and W. Hawthorn, Leslie was a significant development in the history of the company. In 1886, the locomotive works of R & W Hawthorn at St. Peter's in Newcastle upon Tyne merged with the shipbuilder A. Leslie and Company in Hebburn.
This merger formed Hawthorn Leslie and Company, marking a new chapter in the company's history. The locomotive works were already a well-established business, having produced over 1,000 locomotives by 1870.
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R & W Hawthorn had started as a general engineering firm in 1817, with Robert Hawthorn building his first marine engine in 1820 under the trading name of R and W Hawthorn. The company's locomotive construction soon became second only to that of Robert Stephenson.
The merger with A. Leslie and Company brought a new dimension to the company's operations, allowing them to expand their shipbuilding capabilities. The company's marine engine side of the business prospered under the direction of Francis Carr Marshall.
By 1884, the business activities of the Forth Banks and St Peter's sites were separated, and they were run virtually as two separate businesses. This separation allowed for greater efficiency and focus on specific areas of the business.
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