Railway Foundry

Shepherd and Todd was a railway engineering workshop at the Railway Foundry, off Pearson Street, in Hunslet, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England

Charles Todd had been a partner in Todd, Kitson & Laird but left to set up his own business in 1838, setting up the Railway Foundry with a Mr. Shepherd to build locomotives and rolling stock.

The first order came in 1839 and in the following two years, built a number of locomotives for the North Midland Railway, the Manchester and Leeds Railway and for one in France. These were either small four-coupled or 2-2-2 locos. However in 1840 they built two six foot singles for the Hull and Selby Railway. The latter had Gray's patent dog-leg valve gear and were, apart from another built experimentally by the Haigh Foundry, among the first to use expansive working. Further engines were made for the Hull and Selby, two 0-6-0s and two singles for the York and North Midland Railway.

However Todd left the partnership in 1844 to be replaced by E.B.Wilson. He in turn left after a year and the company was taken over in 1846 by James Fenton, to become Fenton, Craven and Company.

The company continued building mostly Stephenson long boiler locomotives, some 2-2-2 followed by outside cylindered 2-4-0 with the firebox behind the wheels. They were extremely unstable due the long overhang at each end. The six-coupled engines for goods work were more successful since speed was not a requirement.

At the end of 1846 the partnership collapsed, Fenton staying with the company with E.B.Wilson, who returned to form a new company E. B. Wilson and Company

References

• Lowe, J.W., (1989) British Steam Locomotive Builders, Guild Publishing