Crampton entered a career in engineering, initially with
Marc Brunel and later with the
Great Western Railway (GWR) in
Swindon.
Great Western Railway 1839-43 Crampton worked as assistant to Marc Brunel and on joining the GWR in 1839, then
Daniel Gooch. Crampton was involved in the design of the
"Firefly" class of locomotives. One locomotive Crampton designed had an indirect drive arrangement, with a crankshaft between the driving wheels. This locomotive had a
2-2+2-2 wheel arrangement. In 1854, Crampton became a member of the
Institution of Civil Engineers and in 1855 he was responsible for the building of the Berlin waterworks. In 1856, Crampton was appointed to the
Prussian
Order of the Red Eagle. but, unlike Peto and Betts, managed to retain his good reputation and continue in business.
Railway lines constructed Crampton was, wholly or partly, responsible for the railway lines built between
Smyrna and
Aidin;
Varna and
Rustchuk;
Strood and Dover;
Sevenoaks and Swanley; and
Herne Bay and Faversham. The latter three lines being built by the
London, Chatham and Dover Railway (LCDR). Crampton was a partner in the
Mont Cenis Pass Railway Electric telegraph Crampton was responsible for the laying of the first international submarine cable in the world. This was laid in the
Strait of Dover in 1851.
Channel Tunnel Crampton designed an automatic hydraulic
tunnel boring machine, which was intended to be used in the construction of the
Channel Tunnel. Modern drilling techniques were made possible by this invention. ==Family==