In October 1854, he was appointed the first locomotive, carriage and wagon superintendent of the Madras Railway, taking up his post in March 1855. Locomotives supplied to the Madras Railway during this period were to the specification of John Hawkshaw; mostly 2-4-0 for passenger trains, 0-4-2 for mixed traffic, and 0-6-0 for goods. Barton Wright married Janet Forlonge, daughter of the Australian pioneer William Forlonge, in 1858, whilst on leave in England. They had six sons and three daughters. Barton Wright became a Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers on 7 December 1869, and a Member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers in June 1878.