Thomas Fleming Bergin

Thomas Fleming Bergin (died 1862) was an Irish civil engineer and early Irish railway official. He was the company clerk of the Dublin and Kingstown Railway (D&KR), the first public railway in Ireland. He was responsible for the design of the Bergin Patent Spring Buffer, the buffering system that it used.

Biography Dublin Penny Journal 1835-12-26 Dublin & Kingstown Railway Second Class Carriage by E. Heyden

Bergin, who was by profession a civil engineer, joined the Dublin and Kingstown Railway (D&KR) in 1832, replacing James Pim as company secretary. Lyons notes Pim and Bergin as "two of the most valuable engines the D&KR possessed, although other individuals also played an important part." Murray notes Bergin had a "large part of the daily management of the railway", and also notes that Bergin and Pim made an excellent team. Bergin was to remain loyal to the D&KR despite offers from other railways.

Thomas notes the D&KR 'chief clerk' (aka Bergin) was sent to the Liverpool and Manchester Railway (L&MR) in June 1833. Dawson notes Bergin observed the sprung buffer/connection system used on the L&MR and determined to develop his own design for the D&KR.

On 16 December 1834 Bergin placed advertisements in the Dublin newspapers as 'clerk of the company' proclaiming the public opening of the D&KR with an hourly service from 9am to 4pm inclusive from Westland-Row to and Kingstown.

Bergin was additionally appointed 'mechanical engineer' in 1835, though as that position was found to be needing a full time appointment Bergin was to revert to 'clerk'. Bergin retired when the operation of the D&KR was taken over by the Dublin and Wicklow Railway in 1856.

Bergin served as president of the Microscopical Society of Ireland in 1842. He died in December 1862.