George Hughes (engineer)

George Hughes (9 October 1865 – 27 October 1945) was an English locomotive engineer, and chief mechanical engineer (CME) of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway (L&YR) and the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS).
Biography.
George Hughes was born on 9 October 1865 and served a premium apprenticeship at the London and North Western Railway (LNWR) Crewe Works between 1882 and 1886.
At the L&YR he started in the test room, and Bulleid notes the L&YR's John Aspinall was most pleased with his work there. He progressed through various positions at the L&YR culminating in achieving in becoming chief mechanical engineer in March 1904. 
He introduced the L&YR locomotive classification system around 1919. 
When the L&YR amalgamated into the LNWR in January 1922 he became the CME of the combined group and was appointed the CME of the LMS on its formation at the 1923 grouping.
He retired in July 1925 after only two and a half years at the LMS. He was succeeded by Henry Fowler who had worked with him at Horwich Works before moving to the former Midland Railway's Derby Works.
He died on 27 October 1945.
Electric locomotives.
During Hughes' time at the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway built an electric goods locomotive in 1912 and a battery-electric shunter around 1917. The former had four 150 horsepower motors (total 600 hp) and could pick up current from the third rail on the main line or from overhead lines in freight yards.