James F McEwan, Railway Historian

Typescripts and Notes for J F McEwan's proposed History of the Caledonian Railway, c 1960-1980; Papers relating to Scottish Railways and Locomotives, 1823-1991; Papers relating to Scottish and Irish Shipping, especially Ferry Crossings, 1850-1991; Papers relating to Irish Railways and Locomotives, 1929-1972; Locomotive Photographs, mostly Scottish, c 1850-1991; Railways Photographs, mostly of Scottish Railway Stations, but including a range of civil and mechanical engineering subjects, c 1860-1991; Nine Albums of J F McEwan's own Locomotive Photographs, mostly Scottish, but with some English and Irish, 1921-c 1953; Album of Contemporary Photographs recording the construction of the Callander & Oban Railway, c 1875-1880; Scottish Railway Timetables 1856-1990; Scottish, English and Irish Railway and Shipping Ephemera, c 1846-1991; Glass Negatives, mostly of Scottish Locomotives, c 1900-1910, including copies of earlier subjects; Negatives of Locomotives, Stations and other railway subjects by J F McEwan, 1921-c 1990.

Arranged within series according to their original order

Open

Accession 1992/3

Previously catalogued as T25.

Catalogued by Don Martin, 1998. Collection level description compiled by Don Martin and Sarah Chubb, Archivist/Records Officer, July 2003.

Copyright: Reproduction is available subject to preservation requirements

Born in 1906, James F. McEwan was one of the foremost authorities on Scottish railway history. His most noted historical work was a series of 53 articles on 'The Locomotives of the Caledonian Railway' that appeared in 'The Locomotive' periodical during the period 1940-48, but he was the author of many other articles on railways and locomotives, published in a range of journals. His interests extended also to shipping, especially cross-channel shipping between Scotland and Ireland, and to the railways of Ireland. He carried on an extensive correspondence with other transport historians in Scotland, England and Ireland, much of which is preserved in the collection. He was a Vice-President of the Stephenson Locomotive Society for many years. For much of his adult life he commuted by train between his home in Westerton, Bearsden and his work as an engineer in Coatbridge. He died in December 1991.