Jones, Turner and Evans

Jones, Turner and Evans was a Locomotive manufacturer in Newton-le-Willows, England.

The company opened in 1837 with subcontracts from Edward Bury and Robert Stephenson. They provided locomotives for the North Union Railway and the Midland Counties Railway, the latter all 2-2-2 with 5'6" diameter driving wheels, and 12" x 18" cylinders. In 1840, they built two four-coupled 0-4-2s for the MCR.

Further orders included engines for the Great Northern Railway, London and Brighton Railway and the Grand Junction Railway. They also supplied six broad gauge engines for the Great Western Railway, the first of the class being "Firefly". In 1841 they also exported to Austria and built four for the Eastern Counties Railway.

After the initial railway boom, by 1844, orders were becoming slack and Jones formed a partnership with Arthur Potts, renaming the company Jones and Potts. Mr. Potts was instrumental in securing many more orders, particularly from the Eastern Counties Railway.

By 1850, the design of most of the locos was to Alexander Allan's pattern, with outside cylinders, and the "long-boiler" 4-2-0 popularised by Robert Stephenson. As a result they had a very rough ride and derailed frequently. They also built five 0-6-0 engines for the Scottish lines, which, however were converted to 0-4-2.

Seven 2-2-2 well tank engines were provided to the London and Blackwall Railway which served for many years. However, business tailed off again, and the company closed down in 1852. The works were leased by the London and North Western Railway, who then bought it outright in 1860, forming the nucleus of the Earlestown railway works.

One partner, John Jones, however carried on as John Jones and Son with a factory in Liverpool to continue building locomotives, until 1863.

External links

* [http://www.n-le-w.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=54&Itemid=27 The Viaduct Foundry]

References

* Lowe, J.W., (1989) "British Steam Locomotive Builders," Guild Publishing