Springburn Virtual Museum

Railway industry

Walter Montgomerie Neilson, c 1870

Walter Montgomerie Neilson was born in Glasgow into a noted engineering family and served his apprenticeship in the St Rollox Foundry Company. He entered his cousin's firm as a partner in 1838 at their works in Hyde Park Street in Finnieston. Neilson became proprietor of the firm, which relocated to Springburn in 1862, overseen by his works manager Henry Dübs.

When Dübs left in 1863, Neilson invited James Reid, his former works manager, to return as partner in the firm. Reid bought Neilson out in 1876, after exercising an option in his contract enabling him to do so, although the unwritten understanding had been that he would not. Neilson claimed that Reid had not even paid the correct price and had 'swindled' him out of £20000.

Embittered, Neilson left and spent some years travelling. He returned to Springburn in 1884, and opened another locomotive works directly across the railway line from Reid's. His Clyde Locomotive Works did not prosper against such powerful rivalry and in 1888 Neilson sold the company to Sharp, Stewart and Company (formerly of Manchester), who renamed the factory the Atlas Works.

Source: Glasgow City Archives