Matthew Kirtley Plaque

The plaque unveiled today at Clough Dene, near Kirtley's birthplace

Gathering of Stanley councillors, Midland Railway Society, Tanfield Railway & Clough Dene residents

Matthew Kirtley was apprenticed to George Stephenson, hired by Robert Stephenson, & worked on early steam railways as a fireman & engineer.   He was appointed as engineer of the newly formed Midland Railway by George Hudson.   He was a founding member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (MEs were not accepted by the Institution of Civil Engineers).

Local Councillors

The plaque instigators, including Don Asher from the Midland Railway Society (front left)

Everyone who was interested in the story of a local lad from pit roots who became the mainstay of the Midland Railway

As a manager, Matthew Kirtley was noted for his understanding of & empathy with the entire engineering workforce of the Midland Railway.   He was the father figure for 60000 workers, who knew that he was well aware of their work & needs.   He was instrumental in the personal development & education of generations of MR engineers.

As a MR locomotive designer, he introduced standardisation & interchangeability of parts (including Whitworth threads), which greatly reduced building & maintenance costs, as well as increasing availability of locos.

The board & shareholders of the Midland Railway were also pleased with Kirtley, because he clearly increased profits.

A particular example is Kirtley's adoption & development of the brick arch, which not only reduced fuel use, but allowed locos to burn cheaper readily available coal instead of expensive coke, and yet still meet Parliament's demand that locos consume their own smoke.

The post plaque gathering at East Tanfield station