He served as a pupil at Derby Works from 1854–1860, and from 1861 to 1864 he was Running foreman for the Midland Railway for the London District.
[1] In 1874 he was appointed Carriage and Wagon Superintendent on the LCDR following the death of William Martley, and served until the merger to form the South Eastern and Chatham Railway at the end of 1898, when he retired.
He also served as consultant to the Hull and Barnsley Railway between 1883 and 1885, prior to the opening of the line.
During his period at the LCDR Kirtley extended Longhedge Railway Works (Battersea) and once again used it for new locomotive construction.
Bradley, Kirtley's locomotives were "well designed, robustly constructed, easily maintained, and capable of high mileages between general repairs.