Timothy Burstall

Timothy Burstall (1776–1860) was a Scottish engineer who, with his son in the firm of Burstall & Hill, designed and built Perseverance for the 1829 Rainhill Trials. Damaged in transit when its wagon overturned on the way from London to Liverpool, Perseverance was given five days to repair before being entered, but managed only 6 mph, far below the 10 mph minimum stipulated by the trial rules, and was withdrawn.

Born at Leith in 1776, Burstall worked in the London steam-carriage trade in the 1820s and afterwards in private practice in Edinburgh. He was an early advocate of compounded steam expansion. He died at Edinburgh on 23 September 1860.