Henry Dübs

Henry Dübs (1816 – 24 April 1876), born Heinrich Dübs in Guntersblum 29 km South of Mainz, Capital of Rheinland - Palatinate ]Germany, was a German-born British businessman and engineer who founded Dübs and Company, at one time the second largest locomotive manufacturer in Britain.

Career

Dübs was apprenticed to a machine tooling business. At the age of 21, having gained further experience in Mainz and Aachen, he had become a machine shop manager.

Vulcan Foundry

He moved to England and was appointed as works manager of the Vulcan Locomotive Company Foundry near Warrington, Lancashire, in 1842, at which time he anglicised his name to Henry Dübs.

Beyer Peacock

From 1842 - 1858 Dübs appears to have worked for the Lancashire locomotive builders Beyer-Peacock in Manchester. He lost his position as works manager in 1857 for reasons which may have had to do with his managerial style rather than his technical abilities.

Neilson and Company

In 1858 Dübs was appointed works manager and company partner at the Clydeside engineers and locomotive builders, Neilson and Company, in place of the existing works manager, James Reid, on the strength of his knowledge of locomotive building. Neilson and Company were at that time changing from being a general engineering concern into specialist locomotive builders.