Rastrick, John U. (John Urpeth), 1780-1856

John Urpeth Rastrick was born at Morpeth in Northumberland on 26 January 1780, the son of John Rastrick, an engineer to whom he became articled in 1795. In about 1801, he was working at the Ketley Iron Works in Shropshire and, in or after 1805, he joined in partnership with John Hazledine (soon succeeded by Robert Hazledine) of Bridgenorth, Shropshire. During this time, Rastrick assisted in the construction of the locomotive 'Catch me who Can' for Richard Trevithick in 1808, and in 1814, he took out a patent for a steam engine and soon started experimenting with steam traction on railways. His first major work was the cast iron road bridge over the Wye at Chepstow (1815-1816). In 1817 Rastrick left that partnership, to join with James Foster, in about 1819, at the iron works which then became known as Foster, Rastrick & Co., at Stourbridge, Worcestershire. His association with railway engineering began in 1822 when he became an engineer for the Stratford and Moreton Railway. Rastrick became an active supporter of railway proposals put before Parliament, an adviser to railway companies, and a designer and builder of locomotives - the 'Agenoria' and 'Stourbridge Lion' for example. He acted as surveyor or engineer to parts of a large number of lines, among them the Liverpool & Manchester (1829 onwards), the Manchester & Cheshire Junction (1835 onwards), and the series of lines later known as the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway (1836 onwards). About 1847, he retired from engineering work, although he continued to occupy himself with railway business, and was active in a number of arbitrations concerning railway disputes. He retired to Sayes Court, Chertsey, Surrey and died on 1 November 1856.

From the guide to the John Urpeth Rastrick papers - Brighton, Lewes and Hastings Railway, 1843 December-1844 July, (Senate House Library, University of London)

From the guide to the John Urpeth Rastrick papers - Kenyon and Leigh Junction Railway, 1829 October 16, (Senate House Library, University of London)

From the guide to the John Urpeth Rastrick papers, 1811-1847, (Senate House Library, University of London)

From the guide to the Specification for Leeds and Selby Railway, 1830 September, (Senate House Library, University of London)

From the guide to the John Urpeth Rastrick notebook, 1851-1855, (Senate House Library, University of London)

From the guide to the John Urpeth Rastrick papers, 1800-1855, (Senate House Library, University of London)

From the guide to the John Urpeth Rastrick notebook, [?1829], (Senate House Library, University of London)

From the guide to the John Urpeth Rastrick papers - London Bridge, 1823 December 5, (Senate House Library, University of London)

From the guide to the John Urpeth Rastrick papers - Birmingham and Liverpool Railway, 1830-1832, (Senate House Library, University of London)

From the guide to the John Urpeth Rastrick technical notebooks, 1819 December-1833, (Senate House Library, University of London)

From the guide to the John Urpeth Rastrick diaries, notebooks, etc, 1805-1854, (Senate House Library, University of London)