01/06/2026
Under the spotlight on staff relating to the local railways is Donald A. Matheson, M.Inst.C.E., who was born in Tulliallan, Perthshire, in 1860, although soon afterwards, his family moved to Perth, where he was educated at Perth Academy. In 1877, he entered the office of John Young, M.Inst.C.E., Perth, serving as his pupil until 1881.
Following this, Donald continued his studies at the Watt College, Edinburgh, and Owens College, Manchester, while gaining practical engineering experience. He worked as an Engineering Assistant on the construction of the Edinburgh Suburban Railway, later serving on the engineering staff of the London & North Western Railway Co. at Manchester, and subsequently acted as Contractor’s Resident Engineer and Agent during the construction of the Lanarkshire & Ayrshire Railway.
Donald was then engaged for approximately five years as Resident Engineer on the construction of the 5-mile-long Glasgow Central Underground Railway – much of which survives today as “the Argyle Line” - on behalf of the Caledonian Railway Company. Upon completion of the project in 1896, he was appointed Divisional Engineer for the Western Division of the Caledonian Railway. At this time, he resided at 40 Craigmaddie Terrace, Sandyford, Glasgow, close to Stobcross Station.*
Following the retirement of George Graham, M.Inst.C.E., in 1899, Donald was appointed Engineer-in-Chief of the Caledonian Railway Company. His first major responsibility was overseeing the enlargement of Glasgow Central Station, during which the station was more than doubled in size. He designed the celebrated station concourse, as well as the new bridge carrying the railway across the River Clyde.
In 1903, the Caledonian Railway directors sent Donald to the United States and Canada to study contemporary railway engineering methods. At that time, he was recorded as living at 314 Buchanan Street, Glasgow,* although by 1912 he was noted as residing at 302 Buchanan Street.*
When Guy Calthrop retired as General Manager of the Caledonian Railway Company at the end of September 1910, Donald was chosen by the directors to succeed him, assuming the position on 1st October 1910.*
Donald was also the driving force behind the conception of the Gleneagles Hotel scheme. According to the Strathearn Herald, during a holiday in his native Perthshire in 1910, he conceived the idea of establishing “a Georgian hotel or country house, built in the style of a palace, to attract and cater for the British travelling class” near Crieff Junction. The resulting Gleneagles Hotel opened on 5th June 1924.
Donald retired as General Manager of the London, Midland and Scottish (LMS) Railway Company on 31st December 1926.*
Unfortunately, tragedy struck the following year when his only son, Donald Stuart Matheson, B.Sc., Student Inst.C.E., died on 24th June 1927, at the age of 26, while resident in a nursing home in Harrogate.
Donald A. Matheson died on 10th December 1935 at the age of 75.*
*Caledonian Railway Association Staff Register
More information on the railways of Strathearn can be found on the Crieff Lines Railways page.
