P007093 revised AU-VU:EOAS Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation

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 English AACR2 Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules Person created 2022-09-13 human Ken McInnes updated 2023-07-20 human https://www.eoas.info/biogs/P007093b.htm person Rennick Francis AACR2 4 February 1838 29 March 1915 Place of Birth Lisnaskea, Fermanagh, Northern Ireland Place of Death Canterbury, Victoria, Australia Civil engineer Francis Rennick CE, was the Engineer-in-Chief, Victorian Railways from 1892-1903. In 1858, he joined the newly formed Engineer-in-chief's branch of the Railways Department, as a draftsman, under George Christian Darbyshire. He progressed to Assistant engineer, Railways Construction; Assistant engineer, Existing Lines; and succeeded Darbyshire as the Engineer-in-chief in 1892. When Rennick joined the Victorian Railways, construction was to the highest permanent British standards, but in latter years, especially following the Railway Construction Act 1884 - the "Octopus Act", new lines were constructed as cheaply as possible on lighter timber structures, and after the 1890s depression, some 2'-6" gauge lines were built.

Associated Major Engineering Works:
* North-eastern Railway line;
* Beaufort to Ararat line;
* Ararat to Hamilton line;
* Collingwood direct line (Jolimont-North Richmond, etc);
* adoption of 2'-6" narrow gauge lines.

Major Reports:
* Rennick provided evidence to many Victorian Parliamentary inquiries;
* Rennick was also consulted by NSW on the Sydney Central Station proposals.

1857 1857 Life event - Emigrated from Northern Ireland to Victoria 1857 1858 Career position - Surveyor, working for a consulting engineer, Melbourne 1858 1865 Career position - Draftsman, Engineer-in-Chief's branch, Railways Department, Victoria 1860 1860 Life event - Married, Annie Louisa Croker, South Melbourne, Victoria 1865 1871 Career position - Engineer, Water Supply Department, Victoria c. 1870 c. 1870 Career event - Certificate of Engineer (CE) 1871 1887 Career position - Assistant engineer, Railways Construction, Railways Department, Victoria [North-eastern line, Ararat-Hamilton and other lines] 1887 1892 Career position - Assistant engineer, (rising to Chief Assistant engineer) Existing Lines, Railways Department, Victoria 1892 1892 Career position - Acting Railway Commissioner (one of three) Railways Department, Victoria 1892 1903 Career position - Engineer-in-Chief, Victorian Railways, Victoria 1903 1903 Career position - Nominated as Victoria's representative, Transcontinental Railway 1903 1903 Life event - Retired 1915 1915 Buried - Boroondara Cemetery, Victoria 'Rennick, Francis', in Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, Centre for Transformative Innovation, Swinburne University of Technology Rennick, Francis Swinburne University of Technology, Centre for Transformative Innovation Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Book: Some Public Works Engineers in Victoria in the Nineteenth Century Cumming, D. A. Some Public Works Engineers in Victoria in the Nineteenth Century Melbourne University of Melbourne, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering 1985 Newspaper Article: Death of Francis Rennick Anon Death of Francis Rennick 1915 The Argus 6 Newspaper Article: Prominent Officers of the Railway Department Anon Prominent Officers of the Railway Department 1900 Punch 20-21