Visionary Pragmatist: Sir Vincent Raven

When The Railway Magazine of January 2000 published the results of its Millennium Poll, Sir Vincent Raven gained a 42nd place, along with Thomas Newcomen and Arthur Peppercorn. Raven's sole employer was the North Eastern Railway Co. He rose from being an engineering apprentice at Gateshead in 1875 to become chief mechanical engineer from 1910. His steam locomotives were both stylish and practical. His advocacy of electric traction was visionary in its purpose, and gave the NER a reputation for forward-thinking rail development. Andrew Everett has lectured extensively on Raven and is an acknowledged expert on the subject. Illustrated with contemporary archive photographs, portraits and ephemera, this biography explains Raven's steam and electric locomotive building activity in the context of his life and times.