John Chester Craven

According to John Marshall, Craven began an apprenticeship with Robert Stephenson and Company of Newcastle, later transferring to Fenton, Murray and Jackson of Leeds at the age of fourteen.

A stationary engine and wire rope had been installed during 1843, ready for the opening of the line, in order to assist trains up the bank from Manchester Victoria.

In March 1845, Craven successfully demonstrated that normal 0-6-0 locomotives with wheels of 4 ft 6 in (1.37 m) diameter could haul trains up this incline, and this convinced the M&LR directors that the rope haulage could be dispensed with.

In December 1847 he took up his principal post as Locomotive, Carriage and Wagon Superintendent of the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway following the dismissal of John Gray.

Craven re-organised and greatly enlarged Brighton railway works, and recruited skilled engineers from Leeds thereby enabling locomotives to be built there for the first time.