Talk:William McNaught (Rochdale)

William v William
Stanley Graham writes: Newton may have fallen into a very common trap here. McNaughting an engine isn’t named after the famous engineers at Rochdale but a cousin of theirs who practised as an engineer, first in Glasgow and later in Manchester. In 1845 (Patent no. 11,001) John McNaught of Glasgow introduced the practice of compounding existing beam engines to increase their power and efficiency. It was William McNaught who founded the firm in Rochdale which, when he retired in 1870 was taken over by his sons John and William and became known as J&W McNaught. They later amalgamated with another Rochdale company who made steam engines, John Petrie who had started in 1814. The firm of Petrie and McNaught undoubtedly converted many engines to the McNaught principle but it was not named after them. My source for these facts is a paper published in 1943 by G B Williamson on ‘Steam Engine Building in Rochdale’ which I came across while rebuilding the Whitelees engine when I moved it to Ellenroad in Rochdale. 

- ClemRutter


 * As promised, I've looked. Three references, all different!
 * (1) "Stationary Steam Engines" -- Geoffrey Hayes -- 1979/1983 -- Shire Publications
 * "James McNaught of Glasgow converted many single beam engines to his own system of compound" (p14)
 * That's all...
 * (2) "Beam Engines" -- Geoffrey Hayes -- 2003 -- Shire Publications (NOT the 1976/1986 edition, by a different author)
 * Good description of how they work (p22/24+)
 * "WIlliam McNaught of Glasgow patented a compound engine...
 * (3) "Fred Dibnah's Age of Steam" -- F.D. and David Hall (2003) -- BBC Books
 * Short paragraph, starting "John McNaught of Bury..."
 * (3) "Fred Dibnah's Age of Steam" -- F.D. and David Hall (2003) -- BBC Books
 * Short paragraph, starting "John McNaught of Bury..."


 * Not sure whether this helps you or not...
 * -EdJogg (talk) 00:29, 17 June 2010 (UTC)