John Elliot (railway manager)

John Elliot (born 1841, died 1924) was a British railway engineer and manager. He is most notable for his long and influential career with the South Eastern Railway (SER) and later the South Eastern and Chatham Railway (SECR).

Elliot began his career in the engineering department of the SER, working his way up through the ranks. He became Chief Engineer of the SER in 1887, succeeding Richard Price-Williams. In this role, he was responsible for the maintenance and construction of the railway's infrastructure, including bridges, tunnels, and track.

Following the merger of the SER and the London, Chatham and Dover Railway (LCDR) in 1899 to form the South Eastern and Chatham Railway, Elliot continued as Chief Engineer of the combined company. He played a significant role in the standardization of infrastructure across the two previously separate networks.

Elliot was a prominent figure in the railway engineering community, and his contributions were instrumental in the development and improvement of the railway network in southeastern England. He retired from the SECR in 1912.

His period in charge saw numerous improvements to the permanent way and the implementation of new signalling technologies. He was also known for his conservative approach, particularly concerning locomotive design, which was sometimes criticised.