Archibald Sturrock

Archibald Sturrock
Born	30 September 1816 Petruchie, Angus, Scotland
Died	1 January 1909 London
Nationality	Scottish
Engineering career
Discipline	Mechanical engineering

Archibald Sturrock (30 September 1816 – 1 January 1909) was a Scottish mechanical engineer who was born at Petruchie, Angus, Scotland. He was locomotive superintendent of the Great Northern Railway from 1850 until c. 1866, having from 1840 been Daniel Gooch's assistant on the Great Western Railway.

Archibald Sturrock is often remembered for his unsuccessful experiment with steam tenders. However, his principal achievement was the opening of the Great Northern main line and the establishment of GNR’s reputation for a reliable and comfortable passenger service from London to York and beyond.

Sturrock was born in 1816. His father, who was agent to the Bank of Scotland, was shocked when Sturrock, aged 15, took an apprenticeship at the Dundee Foundry. Here he was involved with the construction of a locomotive for the Dundee and Newtyle Railway and met Daniel Gooch, who was to become Locomotive Superintendent of the Great Western Railway.

Following a period with Fairbairns in Manchester, and travel abroad, Sturrock persuaded Gooch to offer him a post in the Locomotive department of the GWR in 1840. In spite of a difficult initial relationship with Brunel, Sturrock won his confidence and was appointed Works Manager at Swindon Works. Sturrock worked with Gooch, who was based in London, designing and building the Iron Duke and other GWR locomotives. When the recession of the late 1840s hit the GWR, a glowing reference from Brunel helped secure Sturrock the post of Locomotive Superintendent of the Great Northern Railway in 1850.

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