A railway projector and surveyor of many important early lines but one whose ambitions sometimes outran his abilities.

James was a land agent who from about 1800 became interested in surveying various horse-drawn freight railways in the Midlands. In 1803 he made the earliest proposals for a railway between Liverpool and Manchester but nothing emerged at that time.

In 1821 James surveyed the Stratford-upon-Avon and Moreton-in-Marsh Railway which he conceived as part of a larger railway between London and Birmingham. The line was built by J.U.Rastrick and opened in 1826. In 1822 James formed a new company to promote a railway between Liverpool and Manchester and carried out an initial survey. However, owing to money problems he was unable to continue and suggested that George Stephenson take over as engineer.

James surveyed many more lines but was not a good businessman and gave insufficient attention to each scheme before moving on to the next. Consequently his name is not well-known today. Nonetheless he had a significant influence on the promotion of several early railways.