Note: text in square brackets is added for clarity and was not part of the location's name.
Peter Borrie & Co was based at the first Tay Foundry in Trades Lane, Dundee. The foundry produced marine engines for wooden and iron vessels, the parts of iron vessels and several locomotives. The foundry was just north of Dundee Trades Lane station (the west terminus serving the Dundee and Arbroath Railway) and Dundee Victoria Dock.
From 1832, Peter Borrie's had his own design of marine engine, a 'Borrie Engine', which had a side connecting rod.
From 1834 the company worked with Thomas Adamson, shipbuilder, to build wooden steamers.
The most famous of these is the 'PS Forfarshire', built for the Dundee & Hull Shipping Company (company formed 1834 and ship launched 1834). Having left Dundee on the 5th of September 1838, the vessel, in a gale and seeking the shelter of the Farne Islands, was wrecked on Big Harcar on the 7th. Grace Darling (Grace Horsley Darling) and her father William Darling, lighthouse keeper of Longstone Lighthouse, rescued several of the survivors by rowing boat. RNLI - The Story of Grace Darling
In 1840 the company began to build iron ships, including paddle steamers. The Lass o' Gowrie and Princess Royal were assembled at Broughty Ferry.
Six locomotives were built around 1841. Five of these were offered to the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway who purchased one and named it 'Euclid'.
Using a design by John Chanter the company built a 2-2-2 locomotive 'Coryndon' (sp?) for the London and Croydon Railway.
The company failed around 1842/43 and its equipment was sold off in 1846. The inventory of equipment sold makes interest reading (see info box).
So close was the link with Thomas Adamson's shipyard, which failed at the same time, that the two were often known as Adamson & Borrie (or vice versa).
Nearby stations Dundee Trades Lane Dundee East Dundee West Dundee Ward Road Dundee Roodyards Dundee Esplanade Offset at Back of Law Magdalen Green Crossroads Lochee Newport-on-Tay East Stannergate Newport-on-Tay West Craigie | Dundee Foundry Dundee Victoria Dock Dundee East End Mineral Depot Panmuir Shipyard Dundee Earl Grey Dock Dock Street Tunnel Dundee East Shed Camperdown Junction Dundee Craig Harbour Dundee Gas Works Dundee West Goods Dundee Camperdown Dock Tourist/other HM Frigate Unicorn V and A Museum Dundee RRS Discovery |
Location names in dark blue are on the same original line. |
Inventory of the Tay FoundryAn advert in the Railway Times ran
|