Industrial History Online
Hatcham Iron Works
Key Words :- works
Address :- 37 Pomeroy Street, London, Greater London, SE14
Grid Ref :- TQ 353 770
Co-ordinates :- Lat 51.475789 , Long -0.053187
Local Authority :- Lewisham London Borough Council
Pre 1974 County :- Kent
Site Status :- Site demolished or no longer extant
Description and History of Site:-
SELIA (1982): 'This works, now the Reliance Foundry, has a mid-nineteenth century two-storey facade, with pilasters and round-headed windows. George England & Co. established a locomotive works on this site in 1839. Francis Fairlie (1831-1885) was the son-in-law of England and designed the famous ‘Fairlie’ locomotive. Together with G. England, Jnr., and J.S. Fraser, he formed the ‘Fairlie Engine and Steam Carriage Co.’ at Hatcham in 1869. The steam carriage referred to in the company’s title was a combined engine and passenger carriage, built in 1869, and resembled the ‘railmotors’ popular in the 1900s. Only one is known to have been built here.
'Although only five examples of the articulated ‘Fairlie’ locomotive were built at Hatcham, the success of this design in foreign markets led other manufacturers to build similar engines.
'A notable feature of the works was a circular test track designed to be of sharper curvature than any likely to be encountered in normal running. Locomotive production ceased at the end of 1870. A stone on the south wall of the building reads ‘G. E. & Co. 1853’. 56 Kender Street was the home of England and backed onto the site.
'A locomotive by G. England survives on the Ffestiniog Railway in North Wales.'
Further Reading and References:-
Goldsmiths College Industrial Archaeology Group. 'The Industrial Archaeology of South-East London'. SELIA, 1982
https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/George_England_and_Co
https://www.maybrey.co.uk/heritage/hatcham-iron-works/
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Grid Ref :- TQ 353 770
Co-ordinates :- Lat 51.475789 , Long -0.053187
Local Authority :- Lewisham London Borough Council
Pre 1974 County :- Kent
Site Status :- Site demolished or no longer extant
SELIA (1982): 'This works, now the Reliance Foundry, has a mid-nineteenth century two-storey facade, with pilasters and round-headed windows. George England & Co. established a locomotive works on this site in 1839. Francis Fairlie (1831-1885) was the son-in-law of England and designed the famous ‘Fairlie’ locomotive. Together with G. England, Jnr., and J.S. Fraser, he formed the ‘Fairlie Engine and Steam Carriage Co.’ at Hatcham in 1869. The steam carriage referred to in the company’s title was a combined engine and passenger carriage, built in 1869, and resembled the ‘railmotors’ popular in the 1900s. Only one is known to have been built here.
'Although only five examples of the articulated ‘Fairlie’ locomotive were built at Hatcham, the success of this design in foreign markets led other manufacturers to build similar engines.
'A notable feature of the works was a circular test track designed to be of sharper curvature than any likely to be encountered in normal running. Locomotive production ceased at the end of 1870. A stone on the south wall of the building reads ‘G. E. & Co. 1853’. 56 Kender Street was the home of England and backed onto the site.
'A locomotive by G. England survives on the Ffestiniog Railway in North Wales.'
Goldsmiths College Industrial Archaeology Group. 'The Industrial Archaeology of South-East London'. SELIA, 1982
https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/George_England_and_Co
https://www.maybrey.co.uk/heritage/hatcham-iron-works/
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Contributor :- GLIAS Database - 28 April 2026
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Copyright :- cc-by-nc-sa 4.0 © GLIAS Database