A native of Ayrshire, Robson worked from 1833 as a civil and mining engineer and land surveyor, based in Miller Street, Glasgow. He was initially employed in surveying mineral workings in Lanarkshire and Ayrshire, but gradually turned to the surveying of the branch railways leading to mineral reserves.
He was the engineer for the proposed extensions of the Garnkirk railway, eastward from Coatbridge to the Wishaw and Coltness railway and westward from St Rollox to Glasgow. In 1844 was appointed as engineer for the Glasgow, Barrhead, and Neilston railway, still in existence as part of the Glasgow-Carlisle line via Kilmarnock.
As railway mania took hold in 1845, Robson planned lines from Glasgow to Dumbarton, Helensburgh and Loch Lomond, from Glasgow to Kilmarnock and Ardrossan direct, and from Balloch to Stirling, although not all these were built. His later work included the suspension bridge over the Clyde at Glasgow Green.
NEIL ROBSON was a native of Ayrshire, and was born in the year 1808. After receiving a good education he became a pupil of the late Mr. David Smith, a well-known civil engineer and land surveyor in Glasgow. Having served the usual apprenticeship and remaining with Mr. Smith as an assistant for some time, Mr. Robson commenced business on his own account in the year 1833 as a civil and mining engineer and land surveyor, at 19 Miller Street. For a few years he was much employed in surveying and reporting on mineral properties and workings in Lanarkshire and Ayrshire.
The Glasgow and Garnkirk, Monkland and Kirkintilloch, and Ballochney railways had lately been constructed and opened for traffic, and as the mineral owners were desirous of having connections with these pioneer railways, Mr. Robson was largely engaged in surveying and reporting on branch railways to various mineral properties, and many of these branch lines he carried out.
Railways were at this time in their infancy, but the opening of the above-mentioned lines, and lines in England, such as the Manchester and Liverpool Railway, gave a great impetus to the promotion of railways throughout the whole kingdom. The proposed railways from Glasgow to Edinburgh, Ayr, Kilmarnock, and Greenock were brought before the public, and readily supported in the years 1837-38. The construction of these lines was vigorously proceeded with, and they were opened for traffic in 1841 and 1842.
Thereafter great interest was taken with regard to the best route to England, so as to give direct communication with the metropolis. At that time one line was considered sufficient, and the Caledonian Railway scheme was generally accepted as the best of the proposals, being the most direct. The works of this line were prosecuted with energy, and the railway was opened for traffic in 1847. Ultimately the three proposed lines to England were carried out, viz., the west-coast route or Caledonian, the east-coast route or North British, and the Midland or South-Western, and such has been the rapid development of railways, that all the lines have been found necessary.
Mr. Robson was engineer for extensions of the Garnkirk railway, eastwards from Coatbridge to join the Wishaw and Coltness railway, and westwards from St. Rollox to Buchanan Street, Glasgow; but as these railways were taken over by the Caledonian Company, the extensions were only partly carried out.
In the year 1844 Mr. Robson was appointed engineer of the proposed Glasgow, Barrhead, and Neilston railway, which passed through Parliament successfully, and the line was constructed under his charge. It is now a part of the main line to Carlisle, via Kilmarnock.
Then came the great railway year, 1845, in which every one seemed to have a mania for new schemes. Many lines were proposed, and among those planned by Mr. Robson were the railways from Glasgow to Dumbarton, Helensburgh and Loch Lomond, from Glasgow to Kilmarnock and Ardrossan direct, from Balloch to Stirling, and the Glasgow General Terminus and Harbour railway.
Acts of Parliament were obtained for these lines, many of the opposition schemes having been rejected owing to the standing orders of the Houses of Lords and Commons not having been complied with, through inaccuracies in the plans and sections. A reaction however took place, and it was found to be difficult to raise the money required for the construction of so many railways, so that of the Dumbartonshire lines only the portion from Bowling to Loch Lomond was then made. The Kilmarnock direct way was abandoned, but the General Terminus line was carried out, as well as the Loch Lomond line, by Mr. Robson at that time.
Many of these railways were afterwards revived, and Mr. Robson ultimately completed the line from Glasgow to Dumbarton and Helensburgh, which was opened for traffic throughout in 1858. He was also engineer for the Lesmahagow railway, which opened up extensive mineral fields in the parishes of Hamilton, Dalserf, and Lesmahagow. All these railways and many others have been absorbed by the three great railway companies of Scotland.
Mr. Robson carried out many smaller engineering works, such as bridges, roads, and waterworks, one of which was the suspension bridge over the River Clyde at Glasgow Green. He was also largely employed in designing ironworks and making valuations of mineral properties and works in a wide circle round Glasgow.
Being urged by his brother-in-law, Mr. James Merry, then M.P. for the Falkirk district of burghs, to join his firm of Merry & Cuninghame, ironmasters, Mr. Robson rather reluctantly retired from the engineering profession in 1860, and took an active part in the management of the great business with which he was now connected, till his death after a short illness on the 1st of February, 1869, at the age of sixty-one years.
Mr. Robson was a director of several companies, among which were the Forth and Clyde Navigation Company, and the Greenock and Ayrshire Railway Company, now amalgamated with the Glasgow and South-Western Railway Company.
Mr. Robson, from his strict attention to business, great accuracy, and extensive knowledge of engineering works, and also from his intimate acquaintance with the mineral fields in the South of Scotland, had a very successful professional career of thirty years' duration. Although Mr. Robson took no active part in public affairs, yet he lent a helping hand to many of the institutions and charities in Glasgow.
Mr. Robson married Miss Agnes Merry in 1839, and was survived by her and three sons and two daughters. His eldest son Robert, Lieut.-Colonel of the 19th L.R.V., died in 1874 from the effects of a fall from his horse, his youngest daughter in 1879, and his widow in 1883.
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