Thow, William

Railway engineer who worked for the South Australian Railways and became chief mechanical engineer of the New South Wales Railways. He was involved in two royal commissions in 1892. Thow was accused of belonging to a 'ring' with Edward Eddy, Sir John Fowler and the English locomotive manufacturers, Beyer, Peacock and Company, but the charges were eventually dismissed. His overall influence on locomotive development was considerable; his designs operating on five Australian systems. He died leaving an estate valued at 15,962 pounds.