He trained under Thomas Storey, Civil and Mining Engineer in
St Helen Auckland. In 1836 he was appointed resident engineer to the
Stockton and Darlington Railway, replacing Thomas Storey, a position he held until around 1847. During this tenure he was responsible for the railway approaches to the Middlesbrough Dock and the coal staithes. He also built a railway bridge across the
River Tees at Stockton which was designed by
Robert Stephenson, replacing an earlier suspension bridge. He also designed the Middlesbrough and Redcar railway, and the
Weardale Extension Railway from Crook to Waskerley, part of the
Wear Valley Railway. He was also involved in the construction of the railway between Wakefield, Pontefract and Goole railway and the Kendal to Windermere Railway. He was appointed a Member of the
Institute of Civil Engineers in 1841. In 1853 he became involved in the Hope Town Foundry, Darlington, and later went into partnership with Mr. Summerson. From 1863 - 1869, the foundry constructed about twelve steam locomotives. He was also a partner in the South Durham Iron Company. Later in life he became the principal assistant to
Joseph Pease in his political career. He is thought to have been significantly affected by the collapse of the bank of
Overend, Gurney and Company in 1866 which resulted in him selling many of his assets. ==Works==