Martin Atock

Martin Atock, also formerly known as Martin Attock, was an English railway engineer, who is best known as the Locomotive Superintendent of the Midland Great Western Railway (MGWR) from 1872 to 1900.[2]

Martin Atock
Born	June 1834[1] Preston, Lancashire, England
Died	1901 [2]
Nationality	British
Occupation	Engineer
Engineering career
Discipline	Locomotive engineering
Projects	MGWR locomotives
Significant design	'Fly away' cab
Significant advance	Standardisation Regular stock renewal

Life

Atock was born in June 1834 in Preston, Lancashire to George and Hephzibah Attock. His baptism took place in the parish church of St. John the Evangelist± on 26 June 1834 where the Reverend Roger Carus Wilson recorded his name as Martin Atock using the common spelling of the surname for the locality rather than that of his father.[1] He moved to Stratford, London when his father George (Atock) Attock[3][lower-alpha 1] became Carriage and Wagon Superintendent of the Eastern Counties Railway (ECR), a predecessor of the Great Eastern Railway. He followed father into railway engineering becoming a draftsman.[2][lower-alpha 2] At a meeting of the ECR on 8 July 1857 he was appointed chief draughsman at wages of £2 10s per week, and was noted as having resigned from the ECR as outdoor foreman of the locomotive department on 6 November 1861.[4] He married in 1859.[2][5]

In 1861 he relocated to Limerick, Ireland in 1861 to take up an appointment as Locomotive Superintendent to the Waterford and Limerick Railway. Whilst there he organised a reading room for the locomotive men at Limerick; incorporated a new wage structure, and persuaded the directors to reduce the weekly working hours down from 58 to the recommended 54 hours per week.[6] His final post was of Locomotive Superintendent of the Midland Great Western Railway at Broadstone works from 1872. Following his retirement in 1900 he died in November 1901 following a short trip to London.[2][5]

Family

Several members of the Atock/Attock family were involved in railway engineering, including his son Thomas on the MGWR[7] and his younger brother[3][lower-alpha 3] Frederick Attock of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway.

Engineering

Martin Atock MGWR Class Lm No. 79 'Mayo' with distinctive Atock 'fly away' cab and railway workers

The fly-away cab was the most distinctive attribute of a Martin Atock locomotive. They were problematic running in reverse and new locomotives and rebuilds after his departure quickly changed to a conventional square cab design.[2][5]

Atock is credited with bringing a degree of standardisation to the MGWR. He implemented a policy of renewing or rebuilding rolling stock every 20 years or so. He was aided by the expansion of Broadstone works in 1878 making it more suitable for the construction of locomotives.[2][5]

It can be said Atock never designed as bad locomotive at the MGWR. He moved away from the 4-2-0 preference of his predecessor, favoured 0-6-0 for freight and 2-4-0 for passenger/mixed passenger during his tenure. He produced a useful 0-6-0T for branch and shunting. He seemed to avoid 4-4-0 and all bogie designs until the final design of his era, there are various speculations whether this was due to the influence of his successor Cusack or the success of the 4-4-0 elsewhere. On his retirement all MGWR locomotives were of his design apart from MGWR Class H that he had recommended be purchased for a bargain price.[5][2]

Notes

1. Shepherd (2009) p.14 George (Atock) Attock – exactly as it is written in the source.
2. Shepherd (2009) p.85 say Martin Atock joined the Great Eastern Railway, however than company was formed in 1862 a year after he left for Limerick
3. Shepherd (2009) p.14 show on a family tree the family link between Martin Atock and Frederick Attock (with two 't'), his younger brother who lived and died in England, both sons of railway engineer George (Atock) Attock – exactly as it is written in the source.

References

1. Shepherd (2009), p. 17.
2. Shepherd (1994), pp. 85–88.
3. Shepherd (2009), pp. 14.
4. http://92.27.27.215/Rail/Eastern%20Counties%20Railway/File%20E%20%20Engineering%20%26%20Traffic%20Committees%201849-50%20%26%201857-1862.pdf
5. Clements & McMahon (2008), pp. 179–181.
6. Shepherd (2006), pp. 135, 139–140.
7. Shepherd (2009).

Sources

• Clements, Jeremy; McMahon, Michael (2008). Locomotives of the GSR. Colourpoint Books. ISBN 9781906578268.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Shepherd, Ernie (1994). The Midland Great Western Railway of Ireland - An illustrated History. Midland Publishing Limited. ISBN 1-85780-008-7.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Shepherd, Ernie (2006). Waterford Limerick & Western Railway. ISBN 0-7110-3147-9.
• Shepherd, Ernie (2009). The Atock/Attock Family: A Worldwide Railway Engineering Dynasty. 150. Oakwood Library of Railway History. ISBN 978-0853616818.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)