George W. Buck

George Watson Buck (1789–1854) was the engineer of the Montgomeryshire Canal in the early 19th century, and was responsible for the unique lock paddle design.

With his schooling completed, his father placed him with a wholesaler at Tower Hill, London, as he wanted him to be involved in trade, but the position did not suit Buck, and so he looked for something else.

Around 1807, the East London Waterworks Company were building Old Ford pumping station, which had been designed by Ralph Walker, and Buck managed to secure a job there.

When the job was finished, Walker moved on to Farlington, to work on a water supply scheme for Portsmouth and Gosport.

[2] Construction of the rest of the line to Newtown, known as the Western Branch, and built by a company which was more or less independent, began in 1815, to the designs of Josias Jessop.

[1] In December 1833 Buck left canal employment to join Robert Stephenson's team building the London and Birmingham Railway.

He was extremely busy during the railway mania years, but his health broke and he became deaf in the mid-1840s, retiring to the Isle of Man.