Edward Bury was born in 1794. He established the Clarence Foundry in Liverpool and in 1830 began producing locomotives for the Liverpool & Manchester Railway. His first locomotive, the Liverpool, marked a change in design, as he combined horizontal inside cylinders with a horizontal tubular boiler. He also used a bar, rather than plate frames. This gave his locomotives a spidery-looking appearance when seen broadside.

In 1833 Edward Bury became the locomotive superintendent of the London & Birmingham Railway. He purchased most of the locomotives from his own firm, Bury, Curtis & Kennedy. Bury also designed the Victoria for the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway.

Later Bury became general manager and engineer of the Great Northern Railway. He also advised on the building of three railway towns, Swindon, Wolverton and Doncaster. His engineering achievements were recognised when in 1844 he was elected to the Royal Society.

Edward Bury died in 1858.