James Stirling

Born	2 October 1835
Died	12 January 1917
Nationality	Scottish
Employer	Hawthorn, Leslie & Co. (apprentice); Glasgow & South Western Railway (Locomotive Superintendent 1866–1878); South Eastern Railway (Locomotive Superintendent 1878–1898)

Biography

James Stirling (1835–1917) was a Scottish locomotive engineer, the younger brother of Patrick Stirling of GNR fame. He served as Locomotive Superintendent of the Glasgow & South Western Railway from 1866 to 1878 and of the South Eastern Railway at Ashford Works from 1878 until his retirement in 1898.

Born at Galston, Ayrshire on 2 October 1835, Stirling was apprenticed at Hawthorn, Leslie & Co. of Newcastle. At Kilmarnock he produced sober, well-proportioned engines in the Stirling family's signature single-arched cab and elegant outline; the GSWR 6 Class 0-4-2s and 22 Class 4-4-0s of his tenure were notably long-lived.

His SER work covered the Folkestone, Hastings and Dover boat-train services. The 'F Class' 4-4-0 of 1883 was a thoroughly competent express type that lasted into the Southern Railway era; the R Class 0-6-0T (1888) and the O Class 0-6-0 goods (1878) were the staple SER motive power for many years. Stirling kept his brother's distinctive front frame and domeless boiler practice but was rather more conservative in matters of cab and tender style.

He retired in 1898 and was succeeded at Ashford by Harry Wainwright, the SER's Carriage & Wagon Superintendent. Stirling died at Ashford on 12 January 1917.

Locomotives designed

A Class — Stroudley's 1879 LBSCR A class 0-6-0T — the celebrated "Terriers". 50 built at Brighton between 1872 and 1880 for South London suburban services. Their light weight made them ideal for branch work after suburban displacement, and many lasted in service into BR days. Eight survive — the largest preserved class of any single Victorian locomotive type.
G&SWR 6 Class — Patrick Stirling's 1873 Glasgow & South Western Railway 4-4-0 — one of the earliest British 4-4-0s, built at Kilmarnock for G&SWR Carlisle expresses.
O Class — James Stirling's 1878 South Eastern Railway O class 0-6-0 goods, built at Ashford.
SECR F Class — James Stirling's 1883 SER F class 4-4-0 — the SER's first 4-4-0s, built at Ashford for SER expresses to Dover and the Continent. 88 were built and the type evolved into Wainwright's later F1 rebuilds. None preserved in original form.
SER Q Class — Stirling's 1881 SER Q class 0-4-4T suburban tank, built at Ashford for SER suburban and country services.
SER R Class — Stirling's 1888 SER R class 0-6-0T shunting tank, built at Ashford. Some rebuilt as R1 by Wainwright; one R1 (No. 31010) is preserved at the Bluebell Railway.