[1] As well as their acquaintance with the Stephensons, an important contact for the Armstrongs was the Methodist philanthropist Timothy Hackworth, who in 1825 became first locomotive superintendent of the brand-new Stockton and Darlington Railway.

[3] Meanwhile, continuing to gain hands-on experience with the pioneering steam locomotives of the time, at the age of 20 (1836) Armstrong was employed by Edward Woods as a driver on Stephenson's Liverpool and Manchester Railway, moving four years later to a similar post on the Hull and Selby Railway, where he was promoted to the post of foreman and became acquainted with the forward-looking locomotive designs of John Gray.

[4] In 1847 Armstrong was appointed assistant locomotive superintendent to Edward Jeffreys, on the Shrewsbury and Chester Railway (S&CR),[5] whose repair works was at Saltney.

Armstrong remained in his position[13] (although he now reported to Daniel Gooch, who was based at Paddington[14]), and a larger works was established at Wolverhampton to replace the former S&BR premises.

Since Wolverhampton was not yet equipped for new construction,[15] Swindon began building standard-gauge locomotives in 1855, which were to the designs of Gooch; some of these were built by outside manufacturers.

A characteristic Victorian paterfamilias, he was diligent and strict, intolerant of corruption and injustice, yet philanthropic and generous to those who worked hard.

He was president of the Mechanics' Institute, founded by Gooch but much expanded under Armstrong, and from 1864 till his death was Chairman of the Swindon New Town Board.

There were outsiders, too, such as William Stroudley from Brighton; in all some 6,000 people crowded into St Mark's churchyard, where an obelisk to the memory of Armstrong and two of his sons can still be seen just to the east of the church.

At the same time, "...it is fair to say that he [Armstrong] left the Great Western better provided with sound engines for every class of traffic than any other railway in Britain, and probably in the world.