About William P. Reid
Lived 1854 – 1932 (aged 77). William P. Reid was a civil engineer and engineer.
William Paton Reid, CBE (8 September 1854 – 2 February 1932) was apprenticed to the Cowlairs railway works of the North British Railway in 1879 and was Locomotive Superintendent from 1903 to 1919. He was appointed a CBE in 1920. He was born, and died, in Glasgow, Scotland.
Prior to his appointment, he had been Assistant Locomotive Superintendent to his predecessor, Matthew Holmes.
Locomotives Reid modernised and rebuilt existing engines and introduced superheating to the North British Railway. New locomotives designed by him include:
NBR Class B, later LNER Class J35, 0-6-0 NBR Class S, later LNER Class J37 0-6-0 NBR Class J, later LNER Class D29, 6' 6" 4-4-0, the "Scott class". NBR Class F, later LNER Class J88 0-6-0T NBR Class J, later LNER Class D30, 6' 6" 4-4-0, the "Super Scott Class" or "Superheated Scott class". NBR Class K, later LNER Class D32, 6' 0" 4-4-0 NBR Class K, later LNER Class D33, 6' 0" 4-4-0 NBR Class K, later LNER Class D34, 6' 0" 4-4-0, the "Glen Class". NBR Class H, later LNER Class C10,& C11 4-4-2, the "North British Atlantic class" (Reid's largest and most powerful design). NBR Class L, later LNER Class C16, 4-4-2T NBR Class M, later LNER Class C15, 4-4-2T
Some of the NBR classes had several variants. The NBR did not distinguish between the variants but the LNER did. The figures 6' 6" or 6' 0" indicate the driving wheel diameter.
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Important facts
People in William P. Reid's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
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Frequently asked questions
Who was William P. Reid?
British civil engineer
When was William P. Reid born?
William P. Reid was born on 8 September 1854 in Glasgow.
When did William P. Reid die?
William P. Reid died on 2 February 1932 in Glasgow.
What was William P. Reid's occupation?
William P. Reid was a civil engineer and engineer.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). William P. Reid. https://biography.guide/william-p-reid/
MLA: "William P. Reid." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/william-p-reid/.
Chicago: "William P. Reid." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/william-p-reid/.
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