THE NINETEENTH CENTURY saw the birth of many mechanical inventions, but few so revolutionised the use of locomotives, winding and marine engines as did the invention of the Reversing Link Motion, generally, but erroneously, attributed to George Stephenson.

This motion, which is still used widely and considered by many authorities on the subject to be superior to the Allan, Gooch, Walschaert and other later designs, was invented by William Howe in 1842. He was then employed by Robert Stephenson in his locomotive works at Newcastle in the capacity of foreman millwright and pattern-maker. It is certain that he must also have possessed a considerable degree of mechanical skill, since he later proved to be a brilliant engineer and administrator.

Howe was born in 1814 at the village of West Auckland, Co. Durham, one of the districts near Newcastle which produced so many of the early founders of the railway system. Like his friend of later years, George Stephenson, Howe received little education, and commenced work at the age of thirteen. He worked at various collieries in the district as general carpenter until, upon reaching the age of twenty-one, he obtained employment for about nine months at the East Shildon works of Timothy Hackworth (of "Sans Pareil" fame) as a millwright and pattern maker. in 1835 he went to Lancashire, working as a pattern-maker in Messrs. Jones's works at Newton-le-Willows, at the Vulcan Foundry then near Warrington, and at Messrs. Mather & Dixon's works in Liverpool. in December, 1835, he was married at Newton-le-Willows Parish Church, and his eldest son, George, and second son, Robert, were born while he was employed in that area.

In 1840 he removed to Gateshead, where he worked for six months at the works of Messrs. Hawks, Crawshay 7 Co. at Newcastle-upon-Tyne. While employed there, a "gentleman apprentice" named William Williams suggested the use of two eccentrics mounted on the crankshaft of a steam engine as a means of reversal (fig 1), and showed a sketch of his idea to a number of his fellow employees including Howe, who always acknowledged this fact. The scheme produced by Williams was, however, completely impractical, since the action of one eccentric would have invalidated the action of the other and locked it.

Howe realised that two eccentrics would be required, but the problem was to link these in such a way that each could operate independently of the other. It was his idea of a radial slotted link, coupling the two eccentric rods, which at once made reversal of steam engines a simple, practical proposition.

He discussed his invention with the Works Manager, a Mr Hutchinson, and showed him a rough pencil sketch (fig 2) and a wooden model of the motion which he had made. (This model has been on view in the Science Museum for nearly one hundred years). Hutchinson immediately realised the worth of the invention, not only as a means of reversal, but also as an expansion gear, and sent the drawing and model to Robert Stephenson, who was then in London.

At that time, August 1842, two locomotives (Numbers 70 and 71) were being built for the North Midland Railway Company. These were to be fitted with Dodds Wedge Motion (a means of reversal using one eccentric wedged manually in one of two positions), Howe being employed on their manufacture. Stephenson, through his works manager, instructed Howe to cease work on one of them and instead to have a full scale model of his own gear made in metal (which still exists), and fit a similar one to locomotive Number 71 (North Midland Railway Number 359). This first application of the Reversing Link Motion to a locomotive took place in September, 1842.

About that time there were, apparently, divided opinions as to the efficiency of the Motion, but Robert Stephenson settled the matter by adopting it, acknowledging Howe as the inventor, and instructing his Cashier to make a present of twenty guineas to him. As further recognition, he appointed Howe, in 1846, to be Chief Engineer of the Stephenson Collieries and Iron Works at Clay Cross, Derbyshire, at the time of their expansion and re-organisation, in which position he spent the rest of his career.

A full and correct account of the invention is given in N.P. Burgh's "Link Motion and Expansion Gear", published by Spon in 1870, and in D.K. Clark's volume of the same period on "Railway Machinery".

In 1842 William Howe did not possess the means to patent his invention, which almost immediately had world-wide application, although an improved form was patented in 1846 in the joint names of George Stephenson and William Howe. The "Stephenson-Howe Motion" soon became associated with the name of Stephenson only, and today most engineering text books erroneously attribute the invention to him.

In the position of Engineer to the Clay Cross Collieries, Howe was placed in a more independent position, being able to devote more time to the development and practical application of his gear. It was first used for stationary engines on a colliery winding engine, designed and built by him in 1847 for the Burton-upon-Trent ironworks, the hand-written statement of account for which still exists.

In 1848 Howe designed an improved model of his Link Motion, having an adjustable head and block for taking up wear, which he applied to a winding engine at Clay Cross pit No.4 in 1854.

The first marine application appears to have been made on the "Sampson", a "frigate of 450 H.P." built by Messrs. Rennie & Co. for the British government.

The Link Motion Reversing Gear in various forms was applied freely and universally, and had Howe been able to patent it for himself, there is little doubt he would have amassed a considerable fortune. He would also have avoided an embarrassing incident in 1870 when an anonymous correspondent to the columns of "The Engineer", calling himself "Double Fork", claimed that Williams had been the inventor of the complete Motion. Howe was content to rebut the implication of dishonesty and to give his invention freely to the engineering world. A committee of eminent engineers completely vindicated Howe, fully substantiating his claim, and one may be quite sure that George and Robert Stephenson, with their high standards of integrity, would never have promoted Howe to the positions he held, nor given him their personal friendship, had there been the slightest doubt in the matter.

In his capacity as Engineer at Clay Cross, where he was joined later by his eldest son, George, he continued to design winding engines fitted with his gear. One of these, built in 1854 and probably the engine referred to earlier, continued in operation until as late as about 1948 when, after exhibition during the "Stephenson Centenary" celebrations held at Chesterfield in that year, it was removed for safe keeping to Sheffield University.

Howe was a friend as well as employee of George Stephenson, and in 1846 a patent for a three-cylinder locomotive was taken out in their joint names. A hand-written description and drawing (undated) - apparently a draft patent specification for a "Self-acting Break for Railway Carriages, by George Stephenson, Esq., Tapton House, Chesterfield", prepared by William Howe - seems to suggest further co-operation. Primarily, this invention may well have been Howe's, since it is known that in 1849 or 1850 he designed a self-acting brake for winding engines, and, shortly afterwards, the self-acting fence used almost universally at the top of colliery winding shafts.

For light relief, in 1869 he designed a tricycle, a beautifully executed coloured drawing of which still exists. Although Howe had little early education, he never ceased to improve his knowledge , working in his leisure hours to become proficient in mathematics , machine design and drawing, and the examples of his work still extant show his excellent draughtsmanship.

He was a member of council of the Chesterfield and North Derbyshire Institute of Engineers, which he largely assisted in promoting, from the time of its formation until his death. He became a member of this Institution in 1860, and in 1862 gave particulars of a large Cornish pumping engine with wrought-iron beam, then in the course of construction at Clay Cross. In the following year he contributed a paper fully describing this engine. He also gave a paper on "An Equilibrium Slide Valve" to the South Wales Institute of Engineers in 1865, and one on "Blast Furnaces at Clay Cross" to the Chesterfield Institute in 1872.

He took an active part in local affairs, assisting in the formation of the Clay Cross 17th C.V.R. Volunteer Corps (in which he served as a lieutenant), the Floral and Horticultural Society, the Ploughing Association and others. Although nominally a churchman, he had little time for bigotry, being as happy in a dissenting chapel as a church; for, as he would say, "All roads lead to the same place".

In 1871 a committee of engineers was formed at Chesterfield for the sole purpose of publicly honouring Howe as the inventor of the first practical reversing motion and to promote a testimonial fund, on the subscriber's list of which can be seen the names of many well-known engineers, businessmen and companies of the day. At a subsequent dinner, held at the "Angel Inn", Chesterfield, Howe was presented with a gold watch (inscribed with a drawing and description of the Link Motion), a purse containing 200 guineas, and an illuminated address. It is probable that the large oil-painting of Howe, seated, by Sir Daniel MacNee (president of the Royal Scottish Academy in 1876) was commissioned about the same time.

During his career at Clay Cross, William Howe and his wife, Elizabeth, lived at "Springfield House", where his signature, scratched on a window-pane, may still be seen, together with a table of his, preserved by the present owners.

Howe died in his sixty-fifth year on January 16th 1879, and was interred at Clay Cross Parish Church, where a stained-glass window purchased by public subscription and referring to his invention, may be seen. It is evident from the contemporary account of his funeral that he was very highly esteemed, not only as an engineer, but also as a man, for it would seem that virtually the whole town of Clay Cross closed down as a mark of respect during the internment.

Howe's eldest son, George, succeeded him as Engineer at the Clay Cross Company, and the latter's eldest son, William (the writer's late father), held the position in his turn.

It is interesting to record that the inventor's second son, Robert, emigrated to Canada, where he also became a prominent engineer. He served his apprenticeship with Messrs. Coke, Mills & Coke at Ankerbold, near Clay Cross, later becoming Manager of the Stavely and Netherseal (Burton-upon-Trent) Collieries. Emigrating to Toronto as a comparatively young man, he became Chief Engineer of the Canadian Fire Underwriters Association, which position he held for twenty years, gaining a reputation as one of the most capable engineers in the Dominion at the time. His work was largely concerned with water power and municipal works, and his reports on these subjects, following visits to all the major cities of Canada, largely formed the basis of the Canadian Insurance Act of that time.

It may be interesting to record some of the sayings current in the family today which almost certainly originated with William Howe, the inventor, and give some indication of his character:

To a workman who ventured that he thought a certain job "would do" - "There's a right way to do a job; there's a wrong way to do a job; there's no 'would do' way."

To someone who suggested that Howe was putting too much care into part of a job which would never be seen - "The inside must be good as the outside; I've seen it."

To his wife, referring to an over-voluble and boasting visitor, when she complained that Howe had said nothing of his own achievements - "There's nothing like a loose nut in an empty vessel for making a lot of noise."

To his wife when she interfered or criticised during the process of a domestic repair job - "Women and 'gaffer' should never see a job half done."

Perhaps the writer may be permitted to comment upon the nostalgia which research on the life and times of William Howe has evoked. Today, when shoddy workmanship is rife and when business integrity is often at a low ebb, it has been refreshing to consider a period when engineers had time to design plant without pressure of production schedules; when workmanship was as good inside as out, and when a man's word was as good as his bond.

W.L.H
November 1963
"Cairngorm"
16 Glendyke Road
Allerton
Liverpool 18.