Ernest Evans
EVANS, Ernest Alfred, MIMechE MIEAust MInstT (1865-1941)
E A Evans was born at Worcester, England on June 2, 1865 the son of Alfred John Evans and Hannah Evans nee Burroughs. He was educated at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School and then served an apprenticeship with McKenzie and Holland. He continued with the company for four years as a draughtsman and engineer. After 11 years with the company he represented them in London.
In 1890 he came to Australia to work as Assistant Interlocking Engineer with the NSW Railways. In May 1891 he married Alice Griffin in Victoria. He travelled to Western Australia with his wife and two children in 1895, on the S S Adelaide, to represent McKenzie and Holland.
In September 1896 he joined the WAGR as Interlocking Engineer. Appointed Workshop Manager at in 1903 under E S Hume he had the challenging role of shifting the workshops from Fremantle to Midland. He became Chief Mechanical Engineer in 1920, when he played a major role in introducing superheated steam and supervised the assembly of the D, L and P Class locomotives.
In 1926 E A Evans was appointed Deputy Commissioner of Railways, then in 1929 Commissioner of Railways. He retired on December 31, 1933.
E A Evans was a founding member of the WA Institution of Engineers and a Committee Member from 1910 to 1916 when he was elected President. He was also a foundation member of the Institution of Engineers. He held the position of Councillor at Guildford from 1912 to 1924 and Mayor from 1924 to 1927 and from 1938 to 1941. For over ten years he was President of the Railways Institute.
He held directorships with Swan Portland Cement ltd and Plaimar Ltd.
Published papers include “Superheated Steam in Locomotives” presented in 1914 (PWAIE5 pp 29-43).
He died at his home in Guildford on September 4, 1941
References:
J S Battye (editor) Cyclopedia of Western Australia, 1912.
West Australian, 26.12.1933, p. 9.
West Australian 5.9.1941 p. 6.
