Andrew Barclay

In the second half of the 19th Century Kilmarnock became an important centre for the construction of railway locomotives. The best known and most prolific builder was Andrew Barclay. His company, now trading as  Hunslet-Barclay,  is the sole survivor of all the Scottish locomotive builders. He was born in Kilbirnie, North Ayrshire. His father was an engineer, so were his brothers, but in this remarkable family it was Andrew who stood out as an inventive genius. 

He was an amateur astronomer and began his career designing telescopes, but soon gained a reputation as an engineer. In 1840, after working for others, Barclay entered a partnership with Thomas McCulloch to make shafting for mill works and machinery for calico printers, but this partnership didn't last long and Barclay decided to go it alone. It wasn't long before he began tinkering with the idea of stationary steam engines and the first one he built was to his own design and was for use in his own factory. The castings were made at the Caledonian Foundry in Commerce Street, Glasgow. Later, Barclay was to use that same name for his works in Kilmarnock. He built his first steam locomotive in 1859 and locomotive work soon came to dominate his company. 

Barclay's love of astronomy very nearly ruined his company. He used so much of the company's manpower and resources building a great telescope that the company nearly went under. Barclay engineers realised that in many situations steam locomotives could not be used because of the danger of sparks and cinders causing fires, and so they invented the fireless locomotive. It had no fire of it's own, but took a charge of steam from another source. Today Hunslet-Barclay still aggressively fights for a share of the huge British Rail Market.