Charles Spagnoletti

Charles Ernest Spagnoletti MInstCE, MIEE (12 July 1832 – 28 June 1915) was an electrical inventor and the first telegraph superintendent of the Great Western Railway (GWR). He also advised various railway companies on the use of electricity, signalling, and telegraphy.

Early life

Charles Ernest Paolo della Diana Spagnoletti was born in Brompton, London on 12 July 1832. He was the eldest child of Ernesto and Charlotte (née Stohwasser) Spagnoletti. He was educated at Blemmell House School, Brompton. Ernesto Spagnoletti was descended from the noble Sardinian della Diana family. His own father, Paolo, had been a popular musician in London and had been given the inaccurate nickname "Spagnoletto" - the "little Spaniard" - by his admirers. Two generations later, Charles Ernest was given the surname Diana-Spagnoletti.

Career

At the age of fourteen, Spagnoletti started work at the National Debt Office. He soon started studying with Alexander Bain, inventor and engineer, and worked with him on a printing telegraph.

In 1855, at the age of 23, he joined the GWR, becoming the first Telegraph Superintendent of the company. On the GWR, Spagnoletti's block telegraph instrument was particularly useful on single-track lines where it allowed more trains to be run. It became the foundation of all block signalling used on almost all British railways, and on the railways of many other countries. He continued to develop various devices and inventions applicable to signalling and railways, and also in other areas such as fire safety.

Throughout his career Spagnoletti acted in various advisory roles. He was consulting engineer for a number of railway companies (Metropolitan and District, City and South London, and Central London), and also the London Electric Omnibus Company.

Inventions and developments

In the early days of telegraphy it was found that the effects of telluric currents and lightning strikes could have an adverse effect on the permanent magnets used in the needles used to display signals. The permanent magnet was surrounded by a coil of wire which carried the signal, causing the needle to deflect. A strong current in the telegraph cable, arising from external sources such as a lightning strike, could weaken the permanent magnet and occasionally reverse the direction of the magnetic field. The "false reversal" of telegraph signals used in railway signalling presented a great danger. In the Spagnoletti Induced Needle, This type of instrument survived in use beyond the end of the GWR in 1948, and into the 21st century. The final operational Network Rail example, located in Banbury South signal box was finally decommissioned at 02:00 on 30 July 2016 shortly before the box's demolition.

A Spagnoletti block telegraph instrument.The red and white keys were "pegged" or secured to give a "Train on Line" or "Line Clear" indication.

He also developed a repeater for semaphore signals (where the status of signals not directly visible from the signal box could be displayed) and a semaphore signal lamp checker (warning if the light of a signal was extinguished).

Society of Telegraph Engineers

Charles Spagnoletti was an early member of the Society of Telegraph Engineers (formed in 1871), joining in 1872. Spagnoletti was also a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers, the Physical Society of London, the Royal Society of Arts, and the Imperial Institute.

Family life

Like his father and grandfather, Spagnoletti was also musically gifted and wrote and composed songs. He had a good tenor voice which was put to good use when Sir William Preece demonstrated the first Edison phonograph in London in 1878. Spagnoletti recorded a song and the national anthem.

Spagnoletti married Caroline Charlotte Duffield (1829–1903), a widow, in 1853. They had three daughters and two sons. His brother (Charles), son (James), great-nephew (Philip), and Philip's son (Robert) all pursued careers in electricity.

Spagnoletti died of pneumonia on 28 June 1915 at Hampstead and was buried at Hampstead Cemetery.