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Murdoch Paterson (September 1826 – 9 August 1898^[1]) was an engineer and architect based in Inverness, Scotland, who was chief engineer of the Highland Railway.

Background

He was born in September 1826, one of five sons of Donald Paterson (1778-1851), farmer, at Dell of Inshes, Inverness, and Elizabeth Munro(1789–1847).

He was educated at Inverness Royal Academy, and initially worked as a wine merchant in Inverness.^[2]

His elder brother, William Paterson, was also an engineer.^[3]

Career

In 1846, he became articled to Joseph Mitchell, the Inspector of Highland Roads and Bridges, and surveyor of railways in the Highlands. In 1851 he worked on expanding the Port of Inverness, and from 1854 worked with Joseph Mitchell on the construction of new lines for the Highland Railway, including Inverness to Keith.

In 1862, Joseph Mitchell set up a partnership with William and Murdoch Paterson, as Joseph Mitchell and Company. Mitchell retired in 1867, and Murdoch became chief engineer of the Highland Railway on 6 November 1874.^[4]

As well as engineering the construction of new lines for the Highland Railway, he also prepared the designs of many new stations.

He died on 9 August 1898 whilst still in post, just three months before the opening of the new line from Inverness to Aviemore. His estate was valued at £10,611^[5] (equivalent to £1,493,007 in 2023).^[6]

Business positions
Preceded by Peter Wilson	Chief Engineer of the Highland Railway 1874-1898	Succeeded by William Roberts

Wives and children

He married Jane MacCallum (1826 - 1868) in January 1852. They had two children:

Elizabeth Paterson (1853 - 1933)
Donald Paterson (1854 - 1885).

He married Frances Wiles (1837 - 1906) in London in 1870 and they also had two children:

Violet Mary J Paterson (b. 1875)
Murdoch William Paterson (1877 - 1880).^[2]

Main works

1863 Railway Bridge on Castle Grant Estate at Grantown-on-Spey
1863 Tain railway station
1864 Balnagown Railway Viaduct
1864 Fearn railway station
1865 Ardgay railway station
1867 Shin Railway Viaduct
1868 Lairg railway station
1869 Achanalt railway station
1869 Achnasheen railway station
1869 Garve railway station
1869 Dingwall locomotive shed
1869 Strathpeffer railway station
1869 Stromeferry railway station
1870 Railway Bridge over Golspie Burn
1872 Altnabreac railway station
1872 Bilbster railway station
1872 Bower railway station
1872 Georgemas Junction railway station
1872 Halkirk railway station
1872 Scotscalder railway station
1872 Thurso railway station
1872 Watten railway station
1872 Wick railway station
1876 Inverness railway station
1877 Achanalt railway station
1877 Delney railway station
1877 Forres railway station
1877 Keith railway station
1877 Tain railway station
1878 Dunkeld railway station
1878 Fearn railway station
1878 Invergordon railway station
1878 Kincraig railway station
1878 Lhanbryde railway station
1878 Inverness gasworks railway station
1879 Aberfeldy station house
1882 Blair Atholl railway station
1882 Pitlochry railway station
1883 Enzie railway station
1883 Forgie railway station
1883 Rathven railway station
1884 Buckie railway station
1884 Novar railway station
1884 Portessie railway station
1884 Stromeferry railway station
1885 Fodderty Junction railway station
1885 Nairn railway station
1885 Strathpeffer railway station
1886 Dingwall railway station
1887 Grantown railway station
1891 Allangrange railway station
1891 Avoch railway station
1891 Corrachie railway station
1891 Fortrose railway station
1891 Munlochy railway station
1891 Redcastle railway station
1892 Burghead railway station
1892 Hopeman railway station
1893 Culloden Moor railway viaduct
1893 Fochabers Bridge railway station
1894 Tomatin Viaduct
1894 Waterloo Bridge Inverness
1895 Culloden Moor railway station
1895 Daviot railway station
1895 Moy railway station
1895 Tomatin railway station
1897 Allt-na-Slanach Viaduct Moy
1897 Duirinish railway station
1897 Erbusaig railway station
1897 Kyle of Lochalsh railway station
1897 Plockton railway station
1897 Slochd Mhuic Railway Viaduct

Gallery

Tain railway station
Dunkeld & Birnam station
Blair Atholl Station
Nairn railway station
Strathpeffer station
Dingwall station
Redcastle Railway Station
Burghead railway station
Culloden Viaduct
Tomatin railway viaduct
Aultnaslanach Railway Viaduct
Plockton Station
Slochd Mhuic Railway Viaduct

References

^ "Our London Letter". Dundee Courier. Scotland. 10 August 1898. Retrieved 8 October 2016 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^ ^a ^b Paterson, Anne-Mary (October 2016). "Murdoch Paterson: A Highland Engineer". Steam Days. Key Publishing Limited.
^ "Murdoch Paterson". Dictionary of Scottish Architects 1660-1980. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
^ Vallance, H.A.; Clinker, C.R. (1971). The Highland Railway. Pan Macmillan. p. 213. ISBN 978-0-330-02720-5.
^ "Deaths". Aberdeen Journal. Scotland. 24 November 1898. Retrieved 8 October 2016 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^ UK Retail Price Index inflation figures are based on data from Clark, Gregory (2017). "The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain, 1209 to Present (New Series)". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved 7 May 2024.