William O'Brien 1808 - 1873
- occupation:
- Railway administrator
- Nationality:
- Irish
- born in:
- County Clare, Munster, Republic of Ireland
From 1841O'Brien was Secretary of the Great North of England Railway. However in 1845 he became Secretary of the Wiltshire, Somerset & Weymouth Railway. He then progressed to the position of Secretary of York, Newcastle & Berwick before becoming the first General Manager of the North Eastern Railway from which he resigned in 1871.