Charles Edward Fairburn (5 September 1887 – 12 October 1945) was an English electrical engineer whose work mainly concerned rail transport.
In 1934 he joined the London, Midland and Scottish Railway where he was responsible for the introduction of new classes of diesel-electric shunting locomotives - he became Chief Mechanical Engineer of the company in the 1940s, but died in 1945 aged 58.
After an education at Bradford Grammar School he won a scholarship to Brasenose College, Oxford University where he studied mathematics and engineering,[1] and obtained a first class degree.
[2] After college he served two years under the tutelage of Henry Fowler at the Derby Works of the Midland Railway.
[8] In 1934 Fairburn joined the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) as Chief Electrical Engineer.