He joined the London and North Western Railway (LNWR) in 1868 and became its General Manager in 1914.
He was made a member of the Royal Victorian Order in the 1911 New Year Honours and knighted in 1913.
He served as a lieutenant colonel in the Engineer and Railway Staff Corps.
A Claughton Class locomotive, LNWR No.
5901) was named after him, this underwent a paper rebuild to LMS Patriot Class No.