Locomotive "Mikado"

From: KyleKWyatt@gmail.com

"Would the person who was Mikado in 1884 have been the same Mikado after whom the 2-8-2 was named? A trivial point, but an amusing one for a lover of Gilbert & Sullivan and steam locomotives."

The short answer is Yes. Mikado is a primarily English term for the Emperor of Japan. In the specific case of the first Mikado locomotive (built 1895, I believe), the relevant emperor was the Emperor Meiji, who was emperor between 1867 and his death in 1912.

—Kyle

[from the R&LHS Newsgroup.]

Great uncle Ashcroft, railway builder

From: "JOHN ASHCROFT" johnashcroft417@btinternet.com

My great uncle Ashcroft was a railway constructor in the late 1800's in America, do you have any information on him or his company ... ?

—John Ashcroft, Northern Ireland