Person
Harris, Norman Charles (1887 - 1963)
CMG DSO MC
- Born
- 10 April 1887
Moonee Ponds, Victoria, Australia - Died
- 3 May 1963
Brighton, Victoria, Australia - Occupation
- Electrical engineer, Mechanical engineer, Railway commissioner and Railway engineer
Summary
Norman Harris, CMG DSO MC MSc AMIEAust, joined the Victorian Railways in 1913, serviced with distinction in France in the First World War, then rose through the rolling-stock branch to become Chief Mechanical Engineer in 1928, Commissioner in 1933, and Chairman of Commissioners from 1940 until he retired in 1950.
He became a world authority on rolling-stock construction, advocated for a Melbourne underground railway, expanded electrification, and launched 'Operation Phoenix' to modernise postwar rolling-stock, including the suburban "Harris trains" introduced in 1956.
His distinguished engineering career was recognised when he was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in 1949.
Details
Chronology
- 1910
- Education - Master of Science (MSc), McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- 1914 - 1919
- Military service - First World War. Major, 2nd Australian Division Engineers
- 1 Jan 1917
- Award - Military Cross (MC) - Engineers
- 24 Sep 1918
- Award - Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) - AIF - Engineers - 5 Field Company
- 1919 - 1920
- Career event - Returned to Australia after studying locomotive and rolling-stock practices in the UK and USA
- 1922
- Career event - Associate Member (AMIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia
- 1922 - 1928
- Career position - Assistant Chief Mechanical Engineer, Victorian Railways
- 1928 - 1933
- Career position - Chief Mechanical Engineer, Victorian Railways
- 1933 - 1950
- Career position - Commissioner, Victorian Railways
- 1940 - 1950
- Career position - Chairman of Commissioners, Victorian Railways [Succeeding Sir Harold Clapp]
- 1949 - 1951
- Career position - Chairman, Victorian Branch, Institute of Transport of Australia
- 9 Jun 1949
- Award - Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) - Chairman of the Victoria Railway Commission
Related entries
Published resources
Book Sections
- Clark, Sebastian, 'Harris, Norman Charles (1887-1963), railways administrator' in Australian dictionary of biography, volume 14: 1940 - 1980 Di-Kel, John Ritchie, ed. (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 1996), pp. 396-397, https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/harris-norman-charles-10439. Details
Journal Articles
- Harris, N. C.; Ashworth, J. M.; Colwell, H. P.; and Brownbill, E. H., 'Railway development in Victoria', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 6 (10) (1934), 364-368, https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Dv_7hNpvvPYex9VwLTltQVREX2IZZPDK/view. Details
- Harris, Norman Charles, 'The trend of design of railway locomotives', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 3 (2) (1931), 54-66. Details
- Harris, Norman Charles; Remfry, Maurice Austin, 'Some economical aspects of transport', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 7 (2) (1935), 41-52. Details
- Harris, Norman Charles; Remfry, Maurice Austin (Sherrard, H. M.; Sutherland, I. M.; East, L. R.), 'Some economical aspects of transport (Discussions and communications)', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 7 (11) (1935), 386-387. Details
Resources
- CA 2001, Australian Imperial Force, Base Records Office, 'NAA: B2455, Harris N C', B2455 First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920, National Archives of Australia, RecordSearch, https://RecordSearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=I&Number=4764906. Details
Ken McInnes
Created: 22 July 2026