Sir Vincent Raven

Born	3 December 1859
Died	14 February 1934
Nationality	English
Employer	North Eastern Railway, Gateshead (apprentice 1875; rising through Locomotive Department); North Eastern Railway (Chief Mechanical Engineer 1910–1922); Ministry of Munitions (Chief Superintendent of Royal Ordnance Factories, Woolwich, 1915–1919)

Sir Vincent Litchfield Raven (1859–1934) was a British locomotive engineer who served as Chief Mechanical Engineer of the North Eastern Railway from 1910 until the 1923 Grouping, and who was among the earliest and most committed British advocates of main-line electric traction, proposing the electrification of the East Coast Main Line between York and Newcastle at a time when electric railways were confined to suburban and industrial use.

Born at Great Fransham, Norfolk on 3 December 1859, the son of a clergyman, Raven was educated at Aldenham School and joined the NER as a premium apprentice at Gateshead Works in 1875 under Edward Fletcher. He rose steadily through the NER's locomotive department under successive CMEs, becoming Chief Mechanical Engineer in June 1910 on Wilson Worsdell's retirement.

Raven's locomotive output for the NER was consistently capable. His NER Class T2 heavy mineral 0-8-0 — the LNER Q6 — was built in 120 examples between 1913 and 1921 and gave sterling service on the NER's heavy coal traffic from the Durham and Yorkshire coalfields to the Tyne and Tees staithes, with survivors lasting in service until 1967. His three-cylinder simple-expansion designs, including the Class Z Atlantic and Class S3 mixed-traffic 4-6-0, demonstrated the smooth-running advantages of three-cylinder propulsion that Gresley was developing simultaneously at Doncaster. The NER Class ES1 electric locomotive and the Newport–Shildon electrification of 1915 — the first British main-line electrification at 1,500 V DC — showed Raven's determination to apply electric traction to heavy railway work.

Seconded to the Ministry of Munitions as Chief Superintendent of Royal Ordnance Factories at Woolwich Arsenal from 1915 to 1919, Raven was created KBE in 1917 for this wartime service. At the 1923 Grouping the LNER Board chose Gresley over Raven for the combined CME post. Raven retired immediately and died at Felixstowe on 14 February 1934.

Biography

Sir Vincent Litchfield Raven (1859–1934) was a British locomotive engineer who served as Chief Mechanical Engineer of the North Eastern Railway from 1910 until the 1923 Grouping. He pioneered the use of three-cylinder simple-expansion drive on heavy British locomotives and, with the NER's electrified Newport–Shildon line and his proposed York–Newcastle main-line electrification, was one of the earliest serious advocates of high-voltage electric traction in Britain.

Raven was born at Great Fransham, Norfolk on 3 December 1859, the son of a clergyman, and was educated at Aldenham School. He joined the NER as a premium apprentice at Gateshead Works in 1875 under Edward Fletcher and rose through the Locomotive Department under Alexander McDonnell, T. W. Worsdell and his elder colleague Wilson Worsdell, whom he succeeded as CME in June 1910.

His most numerous design was the NER Class T2 heavy mineral 0-8-0 (LNER Q6), of which 120 were built between 1913 and 1921; the survivors lasted into 1967. The three-cylinder Class Z Atlantic and Class S3 4-6-0 mixed-traffic engine were notable for their smooth riding, and the small Class Y7 dock shunters lasted into private industrial service into the 1970s.

Raven was an early proponent of electrification. He was responsible for the NER's 1,500 V dc Newport–Shildon mineral line of 1915, the first British main-line electrification at that voltage, and designed both the EE1 1.5 kV bo-bo electric mineral locomotive and a prototype 1.5 kV bo-bo passenger electric. His proposed electrification of the East Coast main line between York and Newcastle was halted by the Grouping. From 1915 to 1919 he was seconded as Chief Superintendent of Royal Ordnance Factories at Woolwich, for which work he was created KBE in 1917.

At Grouping the LNER Board chose Gresley of the GNR over Raven for the new joint CME post. Raven retired immediately and accepted a place on the LNER consulting staff. He died at Felixstowe on 14 February 1934.

Locomotives designed

LNER Raven Class A2 — Raven's 1922 NER/LNER A2 class 4-6-2 "Pacific" — Raven's three-cylinder Pacific design for NER East Coast expresses. 5 built. Compared unfavourably with Gresley's new GNR Pacifics in 1923 trials and were progressively withdrawn. None preserved.
LNER/NER Class EE1 — Raven's 1922 NER EE1 — projected NER electric express prototype, built but never put into regular service due to the 1923 grouping cancellation of the proposed York–Newcastle electrification. Single locomotive. Not preserved.
NER Class S2 [LNER B15] — Raven's 1911 NER S2 (LNER B15) 4-6-0 — Raven's express 4-6-0. None preserved.
NER Class V/09 [LNER C7] — Vincent Raven's 1911 NER V/09 (LNER C7) 4-4-2 "Z-class" Atlantics — Raven's flagship NER Atlantic, 50 built between 1911 and 1918 for East Coast expresses. None preserved (a serious gap).
NER Class V1 [LNER C7 subclass] — Subclass of NER V/09.
NER Class X [LNER T1] — Wilson Worsdell's 1908 NER X (LNER T1) 4-8-0T heavy hump-shunter — for Tyne Dock yard work.
NER Class X1 [LNER T1 subclass] — Subclass of NER Class X.
NER Class Y [LNER A7] — Wilson Worsdell's 1910 NER Y (LNER A7) 4-6-2T — three-cylinder Pacific tank for NER mineral work. None preserved.
NER Class Y7 — Wilson Worsdell's 1888 NER Y7 0-4-0T dock shunter. NER 985 (BR 68088) is preserved at the Middleton Railway.
NER Class Z [LNER C11] — Raven's 1907 NER Z (LNER C11) 4-4-2T — three-cylinder 4-4-2 tank for NER suburban services.
NER Class Z1 [LNER C11 subclass] — Subclass of NER Class Z.
NER V — Reference to NER Class V — see that entry.