Kerr Stuart

Kerr, Stuart and Company Ltd. or Kerr Stuart was a locomotive manufacturer in Stoke-on-Trent, England, active between 1888 and 1930.

The firm was originally established as James Kerr & Co. in Glasgow in 1881. In 1883 they became Kerr, Stuart and Co. with offices in Glasgow and London. They did not have their own factory at this time but traded as suppliers of all kinds of railway equipment, sub-contracting all manufacture to other firms. This policy changed in 1892 when they acquired the business of Hartley, Arnoux and Fanning of the California Works, Stoke-oɲ-Trent, and from that date they manufactured locomotives and rolling stock there.

In the late 1920s under chief designer Kyrle Willans they developed a new product range including high-pressure geared steam locomotives, diesel locomotives and a diesel lorry and were well placed to face the coming recession, except that the chairman had without authority used the company name to guarantee a business venture of his which failed. This led to the closure of the company in 1930. The design rights and goodwill were acquired by the Hunslet Engine Company. The author L. T. C. Rolt was a premium apprentice at Kerr, Stuart at the time and had to complete his apprenticeship elsewhere.

Their output mentioned in this wiki includes:

• Kerr Stuart 4415
• Sgt Murphy
• Stanhope

Reference

Rolt, LTCː A Hunslet Hundred, 1964

Rolt, LTCː Landscape with Machines, 1971