From 6031b22f3a1d878f79a58aff3744a14615c6d1b0 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Steven Hahn <hahnse@ornl.gov>
Date: Thu, 7 Jul 2016 09:36:09 -0400
Subject: [PATCH] Run clang-tidy readability-redundant-* checks.

---
 .../API/inc/MantidAPI/WorkspaceProperty.h     |   4 +-
 Framework/API/src/Algorithm.cpp               |   2 +-
 Framework/API/src/AlgorithmFactory.cpp        |   2 +-
 Framework/API/src/AlgorithmHasProperty.cpp    |   2 +-
 Framework/API/src/AlgorithmManager.cpp        |   1 -
 Framework/API/src/AlgorithmProperty.cpp       |   2 +-
 Framework/API/src/AlgorithmProxy.cpp          |   2 +-
 Framework/API/src/AnalysisDataService.cpp     |   2 +-
 Framework/API/src/BoxController.cpp           |   2 +-
 Framework/API/src/Expression.cpp              |   2 +-
 Framework/API/src/FileFinder.cpp              |   2 +-
 Framework/API/src/FileProperty.cpp            |   8 +-
 Framework/API/src/FunctionProperty.cpp        |   2 +-
 Framework/API/src/IPowderDiffPeakFunction.cpp |  10 --
 Framework/API/src/ISpectrum.cpp               |   1 -
 Framework/API/src/MultiPeriodGroupWorker.cpp  |   4 +-
 Framework/API/src/MultipleFileProperty.cpp    |   4 +-
 Framework/API/src/NotebookBuilder.cpp         |   4 +-
 Framework/API/src/ScriptBuilder.cpp           |   4 +-
 Framework/API/src/WorkspaceFactory.cpp        |   2 -
 .../Algorithms/src/BinaryOperateMasks.cpp     |   4 -
 Framework/Algorithms/src/BinaryOperation.cpp  |   2 -
 .../Algorithms/src/CalculateEfficiency.cpp    |   2 -
 Framework/Algorithms/src/CalculateZscore.cpp  |   2 -
 Framework/Algorithms/src/ConvertUnits.cpp     |   2 -
 .../src/ConvertUnitsUsingDetectorTable.cpp    |   2 -
 Framework/Algorithms/src/CorrectKiKf.cpp      |   1 -
 .../Algorithms/src/CreateCalFileByNames.cpp   |   4 -
 .../Algorithms/src/CreateDummyCalFile.cpp     |   4 -
 .../src/CreateLogTimeCorrection.cpp           |   4 -
 .../Algorithms/src/CreateSampleWorkspace.cpp  |   2 +-
 Framework/Algorithms/src/CrossCorrelate.cpp   |   1 -
 .../DiffractionEventCalibrateDetectors.cpp    |   4 -
 .../Algorithms/src/DiffractionFocussing.cpp   |   2 -
 .../Algorithms/src/DiffractionFocussing2.cpp  |   2 -
 .../Algorithms/src/EditInstrumentGeometry.cpp |   4 -
 .../src/EstimateResolutionDiffraction.cpp     |   5 -
 .../Algorithms/src/ExportTimeSeriesLog.cpp    |  10 --
 .../Algorithms/src/ExtractMaskToTable.cpp     |   6 -
 Framework/Algorithms/src/FilterEvents.cpp     |  26 +----
 .../Algorithms/src/FindDeadDetectors.cpp      |   1 -
 .../Algorithms/src/FindPeakBackground.cpp     |   4 -
 Framework/Algorithms/src/FindPeaks.cpp        |  24 +---
 Framework/Algorithms/src/FitPeak.cpp          |  36 +-----
 .../Algorithms/src/FixGSASInstrumentFile.cpp  |   4 -
 .../src/GeneralisedSecondDifference.cpp       |   3 -
 .../Algorithms/src/GenerateEventsFilter.cpp   |  36 +-----
 .../src/GenerateIPythonNotebook.cpp           |   2 +-
 Framework/Algorithms/src/GeneratePeaks.cpp    |  18 ---
 .../Algorithms/src/GeneratePythonScript.cpp   |   2 +-
 .../src/GetDetOffsetsMultiPeaks.cpp           |  19 ----
 .../src/GetTimeSeriesLogInformation.cpp       |  56 ---------
 .../Algorithms/src/He3TubeEfficiency.cpp      |   2 -
 Framework/Algorithms/src/Integration.cpp      |   2 -
 Framework/Algorithms/src/InvertMask.cpp       |   2 -
 Framework/Algorithms/src/MaskBins.cpp         |   2 -
 .../Algorithms/src/MaskBinsFromTable.cpp      |   8 --
 Framework/Algorithms/src/MaskDetectorsIf.cpp  |   4 -
 Framework/Algorithms/src/MaxMin.cpp           |   2 -
 Framework/Algorithms/src/NormaliseToUnity.cpp |   2 -
 .../Algorithms/src/ReadGroupsFromFile.cpp     |   2 -
 Framework/Algorithms/src/Rebin.cpp            |   2 -
 Framework/Algorithms/src/RebinByTimeBase.cpp  |   2 -
 Framework/Algorithms/src/Rebunch.cpp          |   2 -
 Framework/Algorithms/src/Regroup.cpp          |   4 -
 Framework/Algorithms/src/RemoveBackground.cpp |   2 -
 Framework/Algorithms/src/RemoveBins.cpp       |   9 --
 Framework/Algorithms/src/SmoothNeighbours.cpp |   2 -
 Framework/Algorithms/src/SortEvents.cpp       |   2 -
 .../Algorithms/src/StripVanadiumPeaks2.cpp    |   4 -
 Framework/Algorithms/src/UnaryOperation.cpp   |   1 -
 Framework/Crystal/src/AnvredCorrection.cpp    |   4 +-
 Framework/Crystal/src/FindSXPeaks.cpp         |   1 -
 .../Crystal/src/IntegratePeakTimeSlices.cpp   |   2 +-
 Framework/Crystal/src/MaskPeaksWorkspace.cpp  |   2 -
 .../Crystal/src/OptimizeCrystalPlacement.cpp  |   6 +-
 Framework/Crystal/src/SCDCalibratePanels.cpp  |   2 +-
 Framework/Crystal/src/SCDPanelErrors.cpp      |   3 +-
 Framework/Crystal/src/SaveHKL.cpp             |   2 +-
 .../src/Algorithms/ConvolveWorkspaces.cpp     |   1 -
 .../CurveFitting/src/Algorithms/Fit1D.cpp     |   2 -
 .../src/Algorithms/FitPowderDiffPeaks.cpp     |  33 ------
 .../CurveFitting/src/Algorithms/LeBailFit.cpp | 107 ------------------
 .../src/Algorithms/LeBailFunction.cpp         |  28 +----
 .../src/Algorithms/PlotPeakByLogValue.cpp     |   2 +-
 .../RefinePowderInstrumentParameters.cpp      |  22 ----
 .../RefinePowderInstrumentParameters3.cpp     |  32 ------
 .../src/AugmentedLagrangianOptimizer.cpp      |   2 +-
 .../CostFunctions/CostFuncLeastSquares.cpp    |   2 -
 .../src/FuncMinimizers/FABADAMinimizer.cpp    |   2 +-
 .../src/Functions/Bk2BkExpConvPV.cpp          |  10 --
 .../src/Functions/FullprofPolynomial.cpp      |   6 -
 .../Functions/NeutronBk2BkExpConvPVoigt.cpp   |  14 ---
 .../CurveFitting/src/Functions/Polynomial.cpp |   4 -
 .../src/Functions/ProcessBackground.cpp       |  24 ----
 .../src/Functions/ReflectivityMulf.cpp        |   3 -
 .../Functions/ThermalNeutronBk2BkExpAlpha.cpp |   2 -
 .../Functions/ThermalNeutronBk2BkExpBeta.cpp  |   2 -
 .../ThermalNeutronBk2BkExpConvPVoigt.cpp      |  16 ---
 .../Functions/ThermalNeutronBk2BkExpSigma.cpp |   2 -
 .../ThermalNeutronDtoTOFFunction.cpp          |   6 -
 .../inc/MantidDataHandling/LoadEventNexus.h   |  10 +-
 .../DataHandling/src/CheckMantidVersion.cpp   |   4 +-
 .../src/FilterEventsByLogValuePreNexus.cpp    |  28 -----
 .../DataHandling/src/GroupDetectors2.cpp      |   7 --
 Framework/DataHandling/src/Load.cpp           |   2 +-
 Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadCanSAS1D.cpp   |   2 +-
 .../src/LoadDetectorsGroupingFile.cpp         |  18 +--
 Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadEventNexus.cpp |  19 +---
 .../DataHandling/src/LoadEventPreNexus2.cpp   |  23 ----
 Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadFITS.cpp       |   2 +-
 .../src/LoadFullprofResolution.cpp            |  14 ---
 .../src/LoadGSASInstrumentFile.cpp            |   6 -
 Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadGSS.cpp        |   6 +-
 Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadHelper.cpp     |   2 +-
 .../DataHandling/src/LoadIDFFromNexus.cpp     |   4 +-
 .../src/LoadInstrumentFromNexus.cpp           |  57 ----------
 .../src/LoadInstrumentFromRaw.cpp             |   2 -
 Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadIsawDetCal.cpp |   2 -
 .../src/LoadLogsForSNSPulsedMagnet.cpp        |   6 -
 .../DataHandling/src/LoadMappingTable.cpp     |   2 -
 Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadMask.cpp       |  33 ------
 Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadMuonLog.cpp    |   1 -
 Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadMuonNexus2.cpp |   2 +-
 Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadNexus.cpp      |   1 -
 Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadNexusLogs.cpp  |   2 +-
 .../DataHandling/src/LoadNexusProcessed.cpp   |  43 ++++---
 .../DataHandling/src/LoadPDFgetNFile.cpp      |  14 +--
 Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadRKH.cpp        |   8 +-
 .../DataHandling/src/LoadRaw/vms_convert.cpp  |  10 --
 Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadRawHelper.cpp  |   2 +-
 Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadSPE.cpp        |   2 -
 .../DataHandling/src/LoadSavuTomoConfig.cpp   |   8 +-
 Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadSpiceAscii.cpp |  16 +--
 .../DataHandling/src/LoadSpiceXML2DDet.cpp    |  16 +--
 Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadTBL.cpp        |   4 +-
 .../DataHandling/src/LoadTOFRawNexus.cpp      |   2 +-
 .../DataHandling/src/LoadVulcanCalFile.cpp    |  18 +--
 Framework/DataHandling/src/MaskDetectors.cpp  |   4 -
 Framework/DataHandling/src/MergeLogs.cpp      |   6 -
 .../src/MoveInstrumentComponent.cpp           |   2 -
 .../DataHandling/src/ProcessDasNexusLog.cpp   |  12 --
 Framework/DataHandling/src/RemoveLogs.cpp     |   4 +-
 Framework/DataHandling/src/RenameLog.cpp      |   4 -
 Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveAscii.cpp      |   2 +-
 Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveCSV.cpp        |   2 -
 Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveCanSAS1D.cpp   |   4 +-
 Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveCanSAS1D2.cpp  |   2 +-
 .../src/SaveDetectorsGrouping.cpp             |   4 -
 Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveFocusedXYE.cpp |   1 -
 .../src/SaveFullprofResolution.cpp            |   6 -
 .../src/SaveGSASInstrumentFile.cpp            |  37 ------
 Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveGSS.cpp        |  16 +--
 Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveMask.cpp       |   2 -
 Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveNXcanSAS.cpp   |   2 +-
 Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveNexus.cpp      |   2 -
 .../DataHandling/src/SaveNexusProcessed.cpp   |   1 -
 .../DataHandling/src/SaveOpenGenieAscii.cpp   |   7 +-
 .../src/SaveToSNSHistogramNexus.cpp           |   4 +-
 Framework/DataHandling/src/SetScalingPSD.cpp  |  11 +-
 Framework/DataHandling/src/XmlHandler.cpp     |   2 +-
 .../inc/MantidDataObjects/MDBoxBase.h         |   2 +-
 Framework/DataObjects/src/EventList.cpp       |  10 +-
 .../DataObjects/src/SpecialWorkspace2D.cpp    |  14 ---
 .../DataObjects/src/SplittersWorkspace.cpp    |   2 -
 .../inc/MantidGeometry/Instrument/Component.h |   2 +-
 Framework/Geometry/src/Crystal/UnitCell.cpp   |   4 -
 .../Geometry/src/Instrument/Detector.cpp      |   1 -
 .../Geometry/src/Instrument/DetectorGroup.cpp |   4 +-
 .../Geometry/src/Instrument/FitParameter.cpp  |   1 -
 .../Instrument/InstrumentDefinitionParser.cpp |  30 ++---
 .../Geometry/src/Instrument/ParameterMap.cpp  |   4 +-
 .../src/MDGeometry/MDHistoDimension.cpp       |   2 +-
 Framework/Geometry/src/Math/Acomp.cpp         |  18 +--
 Framework/Geometry/src/Math/BnId.cpp          |   3 -
 Framework/Geometry/src/Math/PolyBase.cpp      |   3 -
 Framework/Geometry/src/Math/RotCounter.cpp    |   1 -
 Framework/Geometry/src/Objects/Object.cpp     |   5 -
 Framework/Geometry/src/Objects/RuleItems.cpp  |  15 ---
 Framework/Geometry/src/Objects/Rules.cpp      |   1 -
 Framework/Geometry/src/Objects/Track.cpp      |   4 +-
 Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/Cone.cpp      |  10 +-
 Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/Cylinder.cpp  |  11 +-
 Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/General.cpp   |   4 +-
 Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/Line.cpp      |   3 -
 .../src/Surfaces/LineIntersectVisit.cpp       |   7 --
 Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/Plane.cpp     |   7 +-
 Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/Quadratic.cpp |   5 -
 Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/Sphere.cpp    |   7 +-
 Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/Surface.cpp   |   2 -
 .../Geometry/src/Surfaces/SurfaceFactory.cpp  |   2 -
 Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/Torus.cpp     |   5 -
 Framework/ICat/src/ICat4/ICat4Catalog.cpp     |   4 +-
 .../Kernel/inc/MantidKernel/DataService.h     |   5 -
 Framework/Kernel/src/ComputeResourceInfo.cpp  |   2 +-
 Framework/Kernel/src/ConfigService.cpp        |   6 +-
 Framework/Kernel/src/DateTimeValidator.cpp    |   2 +-
 .../src/Math/Optimization/SLSQPMinimizer.cpp  |   2 +-
 Framework/Kernel/src/Matrix.cpp               |  15 ---
 Framework/Kernel/src/MultiFileValidator.cpp   |   2 +-
 Framework/Kernel/src/Property.cpp             |   2 -
 Framework/Kernel/src/PropertyManager.cpp      |   4 +-
 Framework/Kernel/src/Quat.cpp                 |  12 --
 Framework/Kernel/src/RemoteJobManager.cpp     |   2 -
 .../Kernel/src/StringContainsValidator.cpp    |   2 +-
 Framework/Kernel/src/Strings.cpp              |   3 -
 Framework/Kernel/src/TimeSeriesProperty.cpp   |  26 -----
 Framework/Kernel/src/V3D.cpp                  |   7 --
 Framework/Kernel/src/VectorHelper.cpp         |   4 -
 .../LiveData/src/FakeEventDataListener.cpp    |   4 -
 .../LiveData/src/FileEventDataListener.cpp    |   1 -
 .../LiveData/src/ISISHistoDataListener.cpp    |   4 +-
 Framework/LiveData/src/LiveDataAlgorithm.cpp  |   2 +-
 .../LiveData/src/SNSLiveEventDataListener.cpp |   6 +-
 .../src/TOPAZLiveEventDataListener.cpp        |   6 +-
 Framework/LiveData/test/TestDataListener.cpp  |   4 +-
 .../LiveData/test/TestGroupDataListener.cpp   |   4 +-
 .../src/ConvertCWPDMDToSpectra.cpp            |   8 --
 .../src/ConvertCWSDExpToMomentum.cpp          |  20 +---
 .../MDAlgorithms/src/ConvertCWSDMDtoHKL.cpp   |  12 --
 .../src/ConvertMDHistoToMatrixWorkspace.cpp   |   2 +-
 .../src/ConvertSpiceDataToRealSpace.cpp       |  10 --
 Framework/MDAlgorithms/src/ConvertToMD.cpp    |   1 -
 .../src/GetSpiceDataRawCountsFromMD.cpp       |  10 +-
 .../MDAlgorithms/src/IntegratePeaksCWSD.cpp   |  12 --
 .../MDAlgorithms/src/LoadILLAsciiHelper.cpp   |   4 +-
 Framework/MDAlgorithms/src/MDNormDirectSC.cpp |   2 +-
 Framework/MDAlgorithms/src/MDNormSCD.cpp      |   2 +-
 .../api/src/Exports/BinaryOperations.cpp      |   2 +-
 .../Exports/DeprecatedAlgorithmChecker.cpp    |   2 +-
 .../src/SCARFTomoReconstruction.cpp           |  14 +--
 .../RemoteJobManagers/src/LSFJobManager.cpp   |   2 +-
 .../src/MantidWebServiceAPIHelper.cpp         |   2 -
 .../src/ScriptRepositoryImpl.cpp              |   2 +-
 .../src/AlignAndFocusPowder.cpp               |   4 -
 .../src/ComputeSensitivity.cpp                |   2 +-
 .../src/ConvolutionFitSequential.cpp          |  10 +-
 .../src/DgsConvertToEnergyTransfer.cpp        |   8 +-
 .../src/DgsProcessDetectorVanadium.cpp        |   2 +-
 .../src/EQSANSDarkCurrentSubtraction.cpp      |   2 +-
 .../src/EQSANSDarkCurrentSubtraction2.cpp     |   2 +-
 .../WorkflowAlgorithms/src/EQSANSLoad.cpp     |   4 +-
 .../src/HFIRDarkCurrentSubtraction.cpp        |   2 +-
 Framework/WorkflowAlgorithms/src/HFIRLoad.cpp |   2 +-
 .../src/SANSSensitivityCorrection.cpp         |   2 +-
 245 files changed, 208 insertions(+), 1550 deletions(-)

diff --git a/Framework/API/inc/MantidAPI/WorkspaceProperty.h b/Framework/API/inc/MantidAPI/WorkspaceProperty.h
index 892139c6159..3525bd6c6f8 100644
--- a/Framework/API/inc/MantidAPI/WorkspaceProperty.h
+++ b/Framework/API/inc/MantidAPI/WorkspaceProperty.h
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ public:
   */
   std::string isValid() const override {
     // start with the no error condition
-    std::string error = "";
+    std::string error;
 
     // If an output workspace it must have a name, although it might not exist
     // in the ADS yet
@@ -447,7 +447,7 @@ private:
   *  @returns A user level description of the problem or "" if it is valid.
   */
   std::string isValidOutputWs() const {
-    std::string error("");
+    std::string error;
     const std::string value = this->value();
     if (!value.empty()) {
       // Will the ADS accept it
diff --git a/Framework/API/src/Algorithm.cpp b/Framework/API/src/Algorithm.cpp
index 37b244e860a..cfe48b6d63b 100644
--- a/Framework/API/src/Algorithm.cpp
+++ b/Framework/API/src/Algorithm.cpp
@@ -1243,7 +1243,7 @@ bool Algorithm::processGroups() {
     // Set all non-workspace properties
     this->copyNonWorkspaceProperties(alg, int(entry) + 1);
 
-    std::string outputBaseName = "";
+    std::string outputBaseName;
 
     // ---------- Set all the input workspaces ----------------------------
     for (size_t iwp = 0; iwp < m_groups.size(); iwp++) {
diff --git a/Framework/API/src/AlgorithmFactory.cpp b/Framework/API/src/AlgorithmFactory.cpp
index 1353fa3e5cb..2fbb1e7cb52 100644
--- a/Framework/API/src/AlgorithmFactory.cpp
+++ b/Framework/API/src/AlgorithmFactory.cpp
@@ -361,7 +361,7 @@ AlgorithmFactoryImpl::getDescriptors(bool includeHidden) const {
       boost::split(categoryLayers, desc.category, boost::is_any_of("\\"));
 
       // Traverse each parent category, working our way from the top down.
-      std::string currentLayer = "";
+      std::string currentLayer;
       for (auto &categoryLayer : categoryLayers) {
         currentLayer.append(categoryLayer);
 
diff --git a/Framework/API/src/AlgorithmHasProperty.cpp b/Framework/API/src/AlgorithmHasProperty.cpp
index 247605a9dc6..316488ff845 100644
--- a/Framework/API/src/AlgorithmHasProperty.cpp
+++ b/Framework/API/src/AlgorithmHasProperty.cpp
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ AlgorithmHasProperty::AlgorithmHasProperty(const std::string &propName)
 
 std::string AlgorithmHasProperty::checkValidity(
     const boost::shared_ptr<IAlgorithm> &value) const {
-  std::string message("");
+  std::string message;
   if (value->existsProperty(m_propName)) {
     Kernel::Property *p = value->getProperty(m_propName);
     if (!p->isValid().empty()) {
diff --git a/Framework/API/src/AlgorithmManager.cpp b/Framework/API/src/AlgorithmManager.cpp
index ec0d7ae72ff..21d9956f5f3 100644
--- a/Framework/API/src/AlgorithmManager.cpp
+++ b/Framework/API/src/AlgorithmManager.cpp
@@ -121,7 +121,6 @@ IAlgorithm_sptr AlgorithmManagerImpl::create(const std::string &algName,
 void AlgorithmManagerImpl::clear() {
   std::lock_guard<std::mutex> _lock(this->m_managedMutex);
   m_managed_algs.clear();
-  return;
 }
 
 std::size_t AlgorithmManagerImpl::size() const { return m_managed_algs.size(); }
diff --git a/Framework/API/src/AlgorithmProperty.cpp b/Framework/API/src/AlgorithmProperty.cpp
index f548d587974..097da5b3ccf 100644
--- a/Framework/API/src/AlgorithmProperty.cpp
+++ b/Framework/API/src/AlgorithmProperty.cpp
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ std::string AlgorithmProperty::getDefault() const { return ""; }
  * contain the error
 */
 std::string AlgorithmProperty::setValue(const std::string &value) {
-  std::string message("");
+  std::string message;
   try {
     Kernel::PropertyWithValue<IAlgorithm_sptr>::m_value =
         Algorithm::fromString(value);
diff --git a/Framework/API/src/AlgorithmProxy.cpp b/Framework/API/src/AlgorithmProxy.cpp
index 42b381eb24a..335a606979c 100644
--- a/Framework/API/src/AlgorithmProxy.cpp
+++ b/Framework/API/src/AlgorithmProxy.cpp
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ AlgorithmProxy::~AlgorithmProxy() { delete m_executeAsync; }
 /** Initialization method invoked by the framework.
 *  Does nothing for AlgorithmProxy as initialization is done in the constructor.
 */
-void AlgorithmProxy::initialize() { return; }
+void AlgorithmProxy::initialize() {}
 
 AlgorithmID AlgorithmProxy::getAlgorithmID() const {
   return AlgorithmID(const_cast<AlgorithmProxy *>(this));
diff --git a/Framework/API/src/AnalysisDataService.cpp b/Framework/API/src/AnalysisDataService.cpp
index 69e8adc2007..f77191ffcf4 100644
--- a/Framework/API/src/AnalysisDataService.cpp
+++ b/Framework/API/src/AnalysisDataService.cpp
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ AnalysisDataServiceImpl::GroupUpdatedNotification::getWorkspaceGroup() const {
 */
 const std::string
 AnalysisDataServiceImpl::isValid(const std::string &name) const {
-  std::string error("");
+  std::string error;
   const std::string &illegal = illegalCharacters();
   if (illegal.empty())
     return error; // Quick route out.
diff --git a/Framework/API/src/BoxController.cpp b/Framework/API/src/BoxController.cpp
index 58b33c1ec4c..144d1a6489a 100644
--- a/Framework/API/src/BoxController.cpp
+++ b/Framework/API/src/BoxController.cpp
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ std::string BoxController::toXMLString() const {
   DOMWriter writer;
   writer.writeNode(xmlstream, pDoc);
 
-  return xmlstream.str().c_str();
+  return xmlstream.str();
 }
 /** the function left for compartibility with the previous bc python interface.
  @return  -- the file name of the file used for backup if file backup mode is
diff --git a/Framework/API/src/Expression.cpp b/Framework/API/src/Expression.cpp
index c9d2eb82650..f918e836db5 100644
--- a/Framework/API/src/Expression.cpp
+++ b/Framework/API/src/Expression.cpp
@@ -364,7 +364,7 @@ void Expression::logPrint(const std::string &pads) const {
 
 void Expression::setFunct(const std::string &name) {
   if (!op_prec(name)) {
-    std::string op = "";
+    std::string op;
     if (name.size() > 1 && is_op_symbol(name[0])) {
       op = name.substr(0, 1);
       if (name.size() > 2 && is_op_symbol(name[1])) {
diff --git a/Framework/API/src/FileFinder.cpp b/Framework/API/src/FileFinder.cpp
index 5ca6d056e8b..3732adf9322 100644
--- a/Framework/API/src/FileFinder.cpp
+++ b/Framework/API/src/FileFinder.cpp
@@ -680,7 +680,7 @@ std::string
 FileFinderImpl::getArchivePath(const std::vector<IArchiveSearch_sptr> &archs,
                                const std::set<std::string> &filenames,
                                const std::vector<std::string> &exts) const {
-  std::string path = "";
+  std::string path;
   for (const auto &arch : archs) {
     try {
       path = arch->getArchivePath(filenames, exts);
diff --git a/Framework/API/src/FileProperty.cpp b/Framework/API/src/FileProperty.cpp
index 5873a6461e7..fd371724aa9 100644
--- a/Framework/API/src/FileProperty.cpp
+++ b/Framework/API/src/FileProperty.cpp
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ std::string FileProperty::setValue(const std::string &propValue) {
   // sure the
   // directory exists for a Save property
   if (Poco::Path(strippedValue).isAbsolute()) {
-    std::string error("");
+    std::string error;
     if (isSaveProperty()) {
       error = createDirectory(strippedValue);
       if (!error.empty())
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ std::string FileProperty::setValue(const std::string &propValue) {
     return PropertyWithValue<std::string>::setValue(strippedValue);
   }
 
-  std::string errorMsg("");
+  std::string errorMsg;
   // For relative paths, differentiate between load and save types
   if (isLoadProperty()) {
     errorMsg = setLoadProperty(strippedValue);
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ bool FileProperty::extsMatchRunFiles() {
  */
 std::string FileProperty::setLoadProperty(const std::string &propValue) {
   // determine the initial version of foundFile
-  std::string foundFile("");
+  std::string foundFile;
   if ((propValue == m_oldLoadPropValue) && (!m_oldLoadFoundFile.empty())) {
     foundFile = m_oldLoadFoundFile;
   }
@@ -317,7 +317,7 @@ std::string FileProperty::setSaveProperty(const std::string &propValue) {
     } else
       return "Empty filename not allowed.";
   }
-  std::string errorMsg("");
+  std::string errorMsg;
   // We have a relative save path so just prepend the path that is in the
   // 'defaultsave.directory'
   // Note that this catches the Poco::NotFoundException and returns an empty
diff --git a/Framework/API/src/FunctionProperty.cpp b/Framework/API/src/FunctionProperty.cpp
index 5777d47df41..3a51eec8373 100644
--- a/Framework/API/src/FunctionProperty.cpp
+++ b/Framework/API/src/FunctionProperty.cpp
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ std::string FunctionProperty::getDefault() const { return ""; }
 *  @return Error message from FunctionFactory or "" on success.
 */
 std::string FunctionProperty::setValue(const std::string &value) {
-  std::string error = "";
+  std::string error;
   try {
     m_value = boost::shared_ptr<IFunction>(
         FunctionFactory::Instance().createInitialized(value));
diff --git a/Framework/API/src/IPowderDiffPeakFunction.cpp b/Framework/API/src/IPowderDiffPeakFunction.cpp
index 6ce2fed7620..6bedbce5805 100644
--- a/Framework/API/src/IPowderDiffPeakFunction.cpp
+++ b/Framework/API/src/IPowderDiffPeakFunction.cpp
@@ -48,8 +48,6 @@ void IPowderDiffPeakFunction::setParameter(size_t i, const double &value,
     m_hasNewParameterValue = true;
   }
   ParamFunction::setParameter(i, value, explicitlySet);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -66,8 +64,6 @@ void IPowderDiffPeakFunction::setParameter(const std::string &name,
     m_hasNewParameterValue = true;
   }
   ParamFunction::setParameter(name, value, explicitlySet);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -105,8 +101,6 @@ void IPowderDiffPeakFunction::setHeight(const double h)
  */
 void IPowderDiffPeakFunction::setHeight(const double h) {
   setParameter(HEIGHTINDEX, h);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -176,8 +170,6 @@ void IPowderDiffPeakFunction::setMillerIndex(int h, int k, int l) {
     errmsg << "H = K = L = 0 is not allowed";
     throw std::invalid_argument(errmsg.str());
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -187,8 +179,6 @@ void IPowderDiffPeakFunction::getMillerIndex(int &h, int &k, int &l) {
   h = static_cast<int>(mH);
   k = static_cast<int>(mK);
   l = static_cast<int>(mL);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/Framework/API/src/ISpectrum.cpp b/Framework/API/src/ISpectrum.cpp
index 668e7b76ebb..284b662588c 100644
--- a/Framework/API/src/ISpectrum.cpp
+++ b/Framework/API/src/ISpectrum.cpp
@@ -191,7 +191,6 @@ const std::set<detid_t> &ISpectrum::getDetectorIDs() const {
  */
 void ISpectrum::clearDetectorIDs() {
   this->detectorIDs.clear();
-  return;
 }
 
 // --------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/Framework/API/src/MultiPeriodGroupWorker.cpp b/Framework/API/src/MultiPeriodGroupWorker.cpp
index 7d3de9f73d0..7b2c160be15 100644
--- a/Framework/API/src/MultiPeriodGroupWorker.cpp
+++ b/Framework/API/src/MultiPeriodGroupWorker.cpp
@@ -117,8 +117,8 @@ bool MultiPeriodGroupWorker::useCustomWorkspaceProperty() const {
  */
 std::string MultiPeriodGroupWorker::createFormattedInputWorkspaceNames(
     const size_t &periodIndex, const VecWSGroupType &vecWorkspaceGroups) const {
-  std::string prefix = "";
-  std::string inputWorkspaces = "";
+  std::string prefix;
+  std::string inputWorkspaces;
   for (const auto &vecWorkspaceGroup : vecWorkspaceGroups) {
     inputWorkspaces += prefix + vecWorkspaceGroup->getItem(periodIndex)->name();
     prefix = ",";
diff --git a/Framework/API/src/MultipleFileProperty.cpp b/Framework/API/src/MultipleFileProperty.cpp
index 1537311d6c8..f8429d697a1 100644
--- a/Framework/API/src/MultipleFileProperty.cpp
+++ b/Framework/API/src/MultipleFileProperty.cpp
@@ -297,7 +297,7 @@ MultipleFileProperty::setValueAsMultipleFiles(const std::string &propValue) {
   // first, to make this easier.
   std::vector<std::string> flattenedAllUnresolvedFileNames =
       flattenFileNames(allUnresolvedFileNames);
-  std::string defaultExt = "";
+  std::string defaultExt;
   auto unresolvedFileName = flattenedAllUnresolvedFileNames.begin();
   for (; unresolvedFileName != flattenedAllUnresolvedFileNames.end();
        ++unresolvedFileName) {
@@ -345,7 +345,7 @@ MultipleFileProperty::setValueAsMultipleFiles(const std::string &propValue) {
         useDefaultExt = false;
       }
 
-      std::string fullyResolvedFile = "";
+      std::string fullyResolvedFile;
 
       if (!useDefaultExt) {
         FileProperty slaveFileProp("Slave", "", FileProperty::Load, m_exts,
diff --git a/Framework/API/src/NotebookBuilder.cpp b/Framework/API/src/NotebookBuilder.cpp
index 94f9565ac0f..ad082ec3ba6 100644
--- a/Framework/API/src/NotebookBuilder.cpp
+++ b/Framework/API/src/NotebookBuilder.cpp
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ const std::string
 NotebookBuilder::buildAlgorithmString(AlgorithmHistory_const_sptr algHistory) {
   std::ostringstream properties;
   const std::string name = algHistory->name();
-  std::string prop = "";
+  std::string prop;
 
   auto props = algHistory->getProperties();
   for (auto &propIter : props) {
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ NotebookBuilder::buildPropertyString(PropertyHistory_const_sptr propHistory) {
   // Create a vector of all non workspace property type names
   std::vector<std::string> nonWorkspaceTypes{"number", "boolean", "string"};
 
-  std::string prop = "";
+  std::string prop;
   // No need to specify value for default properties
   if (!propHistory->isDefault()) {
     // Do not give values to output properties other than workspace properties
diff --git a/Framework/API/src/ScriptBuilder.cpp b/Framework/API/src/ScriptBuilder.cpp
index 23fae8d0630..215a1056ac6 100644
--- a/Framework/API/src/ScriptBuilder.cpp
+++ b/Framework/API/src/ScriptBuilder.cpp
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ const std::string
 ScriptBuilder::buildAlgorithmString(AlgorithmHistory_const_sptr algHistory) {
   std::ostringstream properties;
   const std::string name = algHistory->name();
-  std::string prop = "";
+  std::string prop;
 
   if (name == COMMENT_ALG)
     return buildCommentString(algHistory);
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ ScriptBuilder::buildPropertyString(PropertyHistory_const_sptr propHistory) {
   // Create a vector of all non workspace property type names
   std::vector<std::string> nonWorkspaceTypes{"number", "boolean", "string"};
 
-  std::string prop = "";
+  std::string prop;
   // No need to specify value for default properties
   if (!propHistory->isDefault()) {
     // Do not give values to output properties other than workspace properties
diff --git a/Framework/API/src/WorkspaceFactory.cpp b/Framework/API/src/WorkspaceFactory.cpp
index 93671a3f16d..a5171a123ce 100644
--- a/Framework/API/src/WorkspaceFactory.cpp
+++ b/Framework/API/src/WorkspaceFactory.cpp
@@ -137,8 +137,6 @@ void WorkspaceFactoryImpl::initializeFromParent(
       }
     }
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Creates a new instance of the class with the given name, and allocates
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/BinaryOperateMasks.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/BinaryOperateMasks.cpp
index 5213fd48f95..6a78ee985d9 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/BinaryOperateMasks.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/BinaryOperateMasks.cpp
@@ -43,8 +43,6 @@ void BinaryOperateMasks::init() {
   declareProperty(make_unique<WorkspaceProperty<DataObjects::MaskWorkspace>>(
                       "OutputWorkspace", "", Direction::Output),
                   "Output MaskWorkspace as result of binary operation");
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -97,8 +95,6 @@ void BinaryOperateMasks::exec() {
 
   // 4. Output
   this->setProperty("OutputWorkspace", outputws);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 } // namespace Mantid
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/BinaryOperation.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/BinaryOperation.cpp
index 6b0529bc377..f4d7e154399 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/BinaryOperation.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/BinaryOperation.cpp
@@ -295,8 +295,6 @@ void BinaryOperation::exec() {
 
   // Assign the result to the output workspace property
   setProperty(outputPropName(), m_out);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/CalculateEfficiency.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/CalculateEfficiency.cpp
index 9b9f05541e7..531e655a23b 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/CalculateEfficiency.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/CalculateEfficiency.cpp
@@ -126,8 +126,6 @@ void CalculateEfficiency::exec() {
     normalizeDetectors(rebinnedWS, outputWS, sum, err, npixels, EMPTY_DBL(),
                        EMPTY_DBL());
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/CalculateZscore.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/CalculateZscore.cpp
index a723330c71b..65c478f6919 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/CalculateZscore.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/CalculateZscore.cpp
@@ -105,8 +105,6 @@ void CalculateZscore::exec() {
 
   // 4. Set the output
   setProperty("OutputWorkspace", outWS);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 } // namespace Algorithms
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/ConvertUnits.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/ConvertUnits.cpp
index db31a436ab0..432dff09b88 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/ConvertUnits.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/ConvertUnits.cpp
@@ -177,7 +177,6 @@ void ConvertUnits::exec() {
   // Do right at end (workspace could could change in removeUnphysicalBins or
   // alignBins methods)
   setProperty("OutputWorkspace", outputWS);
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Initialise the member variables
@@ -324,7 +323,6 @@ void ConvertUnits::convertQuickly(API::MatrixWorkspace_sptr outputWS,
 
   if (m_inputEvents)
     eventWS->clearMRU();
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Convert the workspace units using TOF as an intermediate step in the
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/ConvertUnitsUsingDetectorTable.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/ConvertUnitsUsingDetectorTable.cpp
index c94c596aee5..b2a38da7546 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/ConvertUnitsUsingDetectorTable.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/ConvertUnitsUsingDetectorTable.cpp
@@ -181,7 +181,6 @@ void ConvertUnitsUsingDetectorTable::exec() {
   // Do right at end (workspace could could change in removeUnphysicalBins or
   // alignBins methods)
   setProperty("OutputWorkspace", outputWS);
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Initialise the member variables
@@ -471,7 +470,6 @@ void ConvertUnitsUsingDetectorTable::convertQuickly(
 
   if (m_inputEvents)
     eventWS->clearMRU();
-  return;
 }
 
 /// Calls Rebin as a Child Algorithm to align the bins
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/CorrectKiKf.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/CorrectKiKf.cpp
index fdf6c3e4c98..95dcd4d9fd2 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/CorrectKiKf.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/CorrectKiKf.cpp
@@ -175,7 +175,6 @@ void CorrectKiKf::exec() {
   if ((negativeEnergyWarning) && (efixedProp == EMPTY_DBL()))
     g_log.information() << "Try to set fixed energy\n";
   this->setProperty("OutputWorkspace", outputWS);
-  return;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/CreateCalFileByNames.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/CreateCalFileByNames.cpp
index 6997b79722f..c1510542345 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/CreateCalFileByNames.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/CreateCalFileByNames.cpp
@@ -150,7 +150,6 @@ void CreateCalFileByNames::exec() {
   // Write the results in a file
   saveGroupingFile(filename, overwrite);
   progress(0.2);
-  return;
 }
 
 bool CreateCalFileByNames::groupingFileDoesExist(
@@ -229,7 +228,6 @@ void CreateCalFileByNames::saveGroupingFile(const std::string &filename,
   outfile.close();
   if (overwrite)
     infile.close();
-  return;
 }
 
 /// Writes a single calibration line to the output file
@@ -239,7 +237,6 @@ void CreateCalFileByNames::writeCalEntry(std::ostream &os, int number, int udet,
      << udet << std::fixed << std::setprecision(7) << std::setw(15) << offset
      << std::fixed << std::setw(8) << select << std::fixed << std::setw(8)
      << group << "\n";
-  return;
 }
 
 /// Writes out the header to the output file
@@ -261,7 +258,6 @@ void CreateCalFileByNames::writeHeaders(std::ostream &os,
 
   os << "#  Number           UDET         offset      select  group"
      << "\n";
-  return;
 }
 
 } // namespace Algorithm
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/CreateDummyCalFile.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/CreateDummyCalFile.cpp
index 34232932586..3ac57bd42b8 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/CreateDummyCalFile.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/CreateDummyCalFile.cpp
@@ -151,7 +151,6 @@ void CreateDummyCalFile::exec() {
   // Write the results in a file
   saveGroupingFile(filename, overwrite);
   progress(0.2);
-  return;
 }
 
 bool CreateDummyCalFile::groupingFileDoesExist(
@@ -230,7 +229,6 @@ void CreateDummyCalFile::saveGroupingFile(const std::string &filename,
   outfile.close();
   if (overwrite)
     infile.close();
-  return;
 }
 
 /// Writes a single calibration line to the output file
@@ -240,7 +238,6 @@ void CreateDummyCalFile::writeCalEntry(std::ostream &os, int number, int udet,
      << udet << std::fixed << std::setprecision(7) << std::setw(15) << offset
      << std::fixed << std::setw(8) << select << std::fixed << std::setw(8)
      << group << "\n";
-  return;
 }
 
 /// Writes out the header to the output file
@@ -262,7 +259,6 @@ void CreateDummyCalFile::writeHeaders(std::ostream &os,
 
   os << "#  Number           UDET         offset      select  group"
      << "\n";
-  return;
 }
 
 } // namespace Algorithm
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/CreateLogTimeCorrection.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/CreateLogTimeCorrection.cpp
index b78b9317117..94a3f3b9663 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/CreateLogTimeCorrection.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/CreateLogTimeCorrection.cpp
@@ -37,8 +37,6 @@ void CreateLogTimeCorrection::init() {
   declareProperty(Kernel::make_unique<FileProperty>("OutputFilename", "",
                                                     FileProperty::OptionalSave),
                   "Name of the output time correction file.");
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -176,8 +174,6 @@ void CreateLogTimeCorrection::writeCorrectionToFile(string filename) {
   } else {
     g_log.error() << "Unable to open file " << filename << " to write!\n";
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 } // namespace Algorithms
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/CreateSampleWorkspace.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/CreateSampleWorkspace.cpp
index 7c9c36c665e..cc721a9630f 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/CreateSampleWorkspace.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/CreateSampleWorkspace.cpp
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ void CreateSampleWorkspace::exec() {
                        "bin - it has been changed to " << binWidth << '\n';
   }
 
-  std::string functionString = "";
+  std::string functionString;
   if (m_preDefinedFunctionmap.find(preDefinedFunction) !=
       m_preDefinedFunctionmap.end()) {
     // extract pre-defined string
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/CrossCorrelate.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/CrossCorrelate.cpp
index 8328f4f1d0d..6a40366ce2f 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/CrossCorrelate.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/CrossCorrelate.cpp
@@ -248,7 +248,6 @@ void CrossCorrelate::exec() {
   PARALLEL_CHECK_INTERUPT_REGION
 
   setProperty("OutputWorkspace", out);
-  return;
 }
 
 } // namespace Algorithm
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/DiffractionEventCalibrateDetectors.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/DiffractionEventCalibrateDetectors.cpp
index 9c0a28c7984..a57422657fa 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/DiffractionEventCalibrateDetectors.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/DiffractionEventCalibrateDetectors.cpp
@@ -273,8 +273,6 @@ void DiffractionEventCalibrateDetectors::init() {
 
   // Disable default gsl error handler (which is to call abort!)
   gsl_set_error_handler_off();
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Executes the algorithm
@@ -583,8 +581,6 @@ void DiffractionEventCalibrateDetectors::exec() {
 
   // Closing
   outfile.close();
-
-  return;
 }
 
 } // namespace Algorithm
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/DiffractionFocussing.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/DiffractionFocussing.cpp
index 4948d83806f..6b1e5b408ff 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/DiffractionFocussing.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/DiffractionFocussing.cpp
@@ -156,8 +156,6 @@ void DiffractionFocussing::exec() {
 
   // Assign it to the output workspace property
   setProperty("OutputWorkspace", outputW);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /// Run ConvertUnits as a Child Algorithm to convert to dSpacing
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/DiffractionFocussing2.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/DiffractionFocussing2.cpp
index 3ec01069d31..df5d91bb803 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/DiffractionFocussing2.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/DiffractionFocussing2.cpp
@@ -494,7 +494,6 @@ void DiffractionFocussing2::execEvent() {
   setProperty("OutputWorkspace",
               boost::dynamic_pointer_cast<MatrixWorkspace>(out));
   delete prog;
-  return;
 }
 
 //=============================================================================
@@ -644,7 +643,6 @@ void DiffractionFocussing2::determineRebinParameters() {
   }
   // Not needed anymore
   udet2group.clear();
-  return;
 }
 
 /***
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/EditInstrumentGeometry.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/EditInstrumentGeometry.cpp
index b9f60ac8673..730fc7abb50 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/EditInstrumentGeometry.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/EditInstrumentGeometry.cpp
@@ -79,8 +79,6 @@ void EditInstrumentGeometry::init() {
   declareProperty("InstrumentName", "",
                   "Name of the newly built instrument.  If left empty, "
                   "the original instrument will be used. ");
-
-  return;
 }
 
 template <typename NumT>
@@ -337,8 +335,6 @@ void EditInstrumentGeometry::exec() {
     instrument->markAsDetector(detector);
 
   } // ENDFOR workspace index
-
-  return;
 }
 
 } // namespace Mantid
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/EstimateResolutionDiffraction.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/EstimateResolutionDiffraction.cpp
index d00da13b43f..b4a70fef79e 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/EstimateResolutionDiffraction.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/EstimateResolutionDiffraction.cpp
@@ -153,8 +153,6 @@ void EstimateResolutionDiffraction::retrieveInstrumentParameters() {
   V3D sourcepos = instrument->getSource()->getPos();
   m_L1 = samplepos.distance(sourcepos);
   g_log.notice() << "L1 = " << m_L1 << "\n";
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -168,7 +166,6 @@ void EstimateResolutionDiffraction::createOutputWorkspace() {
   // Copy geometry over.
   API::WorkspaceFactory::Instance().initializeFromParent(m_inputWS, m_outputWS,
                                                          false);
-  return;
 }
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 /**
@@ -252,8 +249,6 @@ void EstimateResolutionDiffraction::estimateDetectorResolution() {
   g_log.notice() << "t3 range: " << mint3 << ", " << maxt3 << "\n";
   g_log.notice() << "Number of detector having NO size information = "
                  << count_nodetsize << "\n";
-
-  return;
 }
 
 } // namespace Algorithms
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/ExportTimeSeriesLog.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/ExportTimeSeriesLog.cpp
index 0e9244ed48b..7953a08a3c8 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/ExportTimeSeriesLog.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/ExportTimeSeriesLog.cpp
@@ -71,8 +71,6 @@ void ExportTimeSeriesLog::init() {
   declareProperty("IsEventWorkspace", true, "If set to true, output workspace "
                                             "is EventWorkspace.  Otherwise, it "
                                             "is Workspace2D.");
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -97,8 +95,6 @@ void ExportTimeSeriesLog::exec() {
 
   // 3. Output
   setProperty("OutputWorkspace", m_outWS);
-
-  return;
 }
 /*
  *  * @param logname ::
@@ -198,8 +194,6 @@ void ExportTimeSeriesLog::exportLog(const std::string &logname,
     setupWorkspace2D(i_start, i_stop, numentries, times, values, exportepoch,
                      timeunitfactor);
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Set up the output workspace in a Workspace2D
@@ -261,8 +255,6 @@ void ExportTimeSeriesLog::setupWorkspace2D(
 
   Axis *xaxis = m_outWS->getAxis(0);
   xaxis->setUnit("Time");
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -338,8 +330,6 @@ void ExportTimeSeriesLog::setupEventWorkspace(
 
   // Set the binning axis using this.
   outEventWS->setX(0, axis);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Calculate the range of time vector by start time and stop time
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/ExtractMaskToTable.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/ExtractMaskToTable.cpp
index a03315d265e..6b3d82165fc 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/ExtractMaskToTable.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/ExtractMaskToTable.cpp
@@ -108,8 +108,6 @@ void ExtractMaskToTable::exec() {
   }
 
   addToTableWorkspace(outws, maskeddetids, xmin, xmax, prevmaskeddetids);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -296,8 +294,6 @@ void ExtractMaskToTable::copyTableWorkspaceContent(
     TableRow newrow = targetWS->appendRow();
     newrow << xmin << xmax << speclist;
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -380,8 +376,6 @@ void ExtractMaskToTable::addToTableWorkspace(TableWorkspace_sptr outws,
   string specliststr = spectralist.str();
   TableRow newrow = outws->appendRow();
   newrow << xmin << xmax << specliststr;
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/FilterEvents.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/FilterEvents.cpp
index f42a33bfba9..0a219928ee3 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/FilterEvents.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/FilterEvents.cpp
@@ -141,8 +141,6 @@ void FilterEvents::init() {
   declareProperty(
       "FilterStartTime", "",
       "Start time for splitters that can be parsed to DateAndTime.");
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -214,8 +212,6 @@ void FilterEvents::exec() {
 
   m_progress = 1.0;
   progress(m_progress, "Completed");
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -328,8 +324,6 @@ void FilterEvents::processAlgorithmProperties() {
       }
     }
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -391,8 +385,6 @@ void FilterEvents::examineEventWS() {
     }
 
   } // END-IF-ELSE
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -437,8 +429,6 @@ void FilterEvents::processSplittersWorkspace() {
                       << "  Information may not be accurate. \n";
     }
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -482,8 +472,6 @@ void FilterEvents::processMatrixSplitterWorkspace() {
     m_vecSplitterGroup[i] = static_cast<int>(vecY[i]);
     m_workGroupIndexes.insert(m_vecSplitterGroup[i]);
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -599,8 +587,6 @@ void FilterEvents::createOutputWorkspaces() {
   setProperty("NumberOutputWS", numoutputws);
 
   g_log.information("Output workspaces are created. ");
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -649,8 +635,6 @@ void FilterEvents::setupDetectorTOFCalibration() {
       }
     }
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 TimeAtSampleStrategy *FilterEvents::setupElasticTOFCorrection() const {
@@ -828,8 +812,6 @@ void FilterEvents::setupCustomizedTOFCorrection() {
       }
     }
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -926,8 +908,6 @@ void FilterEvents::filterEventsBySplitters(double progressamount) {
     progress(0.1 + progressamount + outwsindex / numws * 0.2, "Splitting logs");
     outwsindex += 1.;
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -967,7 +947,7 @@ void FilterEvents::filterEventsByVectorSplitters(double progressamount) {
 
       // Perform the filtering (using the splitting function and just one
       // output)
-      std::string logmessage("");
+      std::string logmessage;
       if (m_FilterByPulseTime) {
         throw runtime_error(
             "It is not a good practice to split fast event by pulse time. ");
@@ -994,8 +974,6 @@ void FilterEvents::filterEventsByVectorSplitters(double progressamount) {
 
   g_log.notice("Splitters in format of Matrixworkspace are not recommended to "
                "split sample logs. ");
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1046,8 +1024,6 @@ void FilterEvents::splitLog(EventWorkspace_sptr eventws, std::string logname,
     else
       int_prop->filterByTimes(splitters);
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/FindDeadDetectors.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/FindDeadDetectors.cpp
index 81584e6a1d9..c659c23d765 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/FindDeadDetectors.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/FindDeadDetectors.cpp
@@ -129,7 +129,6 @@ void FindDeadDetectors::exec() {
 
   // Close the output file
   file.close();
-  return;
 }
 
 /// Run Integration as a Child Algorithm
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/FindPeakBackground.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/FindPeakBackground.cpp
index ae41cc5a6c3..9afbfb85263 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/FindPeakBackground.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/FindPeakBackground.cpp
@@ -228,8 +228,6 @@ void FindPeakBackground::exec() {
 
   // 4. Set the output
   setProperty("OutputWorkspace", m_outPeakTableWS);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -385,8 +383,6 @@ void FindPeakBackground::estimateBackground(
 
   g_log.information() << "Estimated background: A0 = " << out_bg0
                       << ", A1 = " << out_bg1 << ", A2 = " << out_bg2 << "\n";
-
-  return;
 }
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 /** Calculate 4th moment
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/FindPeaks.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/FindPeaks.cpp
index 74804466bd9..ba10fa5ece0 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/FindPeaks.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/FindPeaks.cpp
@@ -166,8 +166,6 @@ void FindPeaks::init() {
 
   declareProperty("StartFromObservedPeakCentre", true,
                   "Use observed value as the starting value of peak centre. ");
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -204,8 +202,6 @@ void FindPeaks::exec() {
   g_log.information() << "Total " << m_outPeakTableWS->rowCount()
                       << " peaks found and successfully fitted.\n";
   setProperty("PeaksList", m_outPeakTableWS);
-
-  return;
 } // END: exec()
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -278,8 +274,6 @@ void FindPeaks::processAlgorithmProperties() {
   m_useObsCentre = getProperty("StartFromObservedPeakCentre");
 
   m_leastMaxObsY = getProperty("MinimumPeakHeightObs");
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -881,8 +875,6 @@ void FindPeaks::fitPeakGivenFWHM(const API::MatrixWorkspace_sptr &input,
   g_log.information(outss.str());
 
   fitSinglePeak(input, wsIndex, i_min, i_max, i_centre);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -936,8 +928,6 @@ void FindPeaks::fitPeakInWindow(const API::MatrixWorkspace_sptr &input,
 
   // finally do the actual fit
   fitSinglePeak(input, wsIndex, i_min, i_max, i_centre);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1051,8 +1041,6 @@ void FindPeaks::fitSinglePeak(const API::MatrixWorkspace_sptr &input,
                costfuncvalue);
   else
     addNonFitRecord(spectrum, m_peakFunction->centre());
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1345,8 +1333,6 @@ void FindPeaks::estimateBackground(const MantidVec &X, const MantidVec &Y,
     vecbkgdparvalues[1] = 0.;
     vecbkgdparvalues[0] = 0.5 * (y0 + yf);
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1400,8 +1386,6 @@ void FindPeaks::estimatePeakRange(const MantidVec &vecX, size_t i_centre,
   // Set result to output vector
   vecpeakrange[0] = peakleftbound;
   vecpeakrange[1] = peakrightbound;
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1476,8 +1460,6 @@ void FindPeaks::addInfoRow(const size_t spectrum,
   g_log.debug() << " chsq=" << mincost << "\n";
   // Minimum cost function value
   t << mincost;
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1503,8 +1485,6 @@ void FindPeaks::addNonFitRecord(const size_t spectrum, const double centre) {
 
   // HUGE chi-square
   t << DBL_MAX;
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1514,7 +1494,7 @@ void FindPeaks::createFunctions() {
   // Setup the background
   // FIXME (No In This Ticket)  Need to have a uniformed routine to name
   // background function
-  std::string backgroundposix("");
+  std::string backgroundposix;
   if (m_backgroundType.compare("Quadratic")) {
     // FlatBackground, LinearBackground, Quadratic
     backgroundposix = "Background";
@@ -1534,8 +1514,6 @@ void FindPeaks::createFunctions() {
   m_peakFunction = boost::dynamic_pointer_cast<IPeakFunction>(
       API::FunctionFactory::Instance().createFunction(m_peakFuncType));
   m_peakParameterNames = m_peakFunction->getParameterNames();
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/FitPeak.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/FitPeak.cpp
index 14106ba685e..51a9f3b10f1 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/FitPeak.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/FitPeak.cpp
@@ -65,8 +65,6 @@ void FitOneSinglePeak::setWorskpace(API::MatrixWorkspace_sptr dataws,
   } else {
     throw runtime_error("Input workspace index is out of range.");
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -79,8 +77,6 @@ void FitOneSinglePeak::setFunctions(IPeakFunction_sptr peakfunc,
 
   if (bkgdfunc)
     m_bkgdFunc = bkgdfunc;
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -96,8 +92,6 @@ void FitOneSinglePeak::setFitWindow(double leftwindow, double rightwindow) {
   i_maxFitX = getVectorIndex(vecX, m_maxFitX);
 
   m_peakWindowSet = true;
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -117,8 +111,6 @@ void FitOneSinglePeak::setPeakRange(double xpeakleft, double xpeakright) {
   i_maxPeakX = getVectorIndex(vecX, m_maxPeakX);
 
   m_peakRangeSet = true;
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -143,8 +135,6 @@ void FitOneSinglePeak::setFittingMethod(std::string minimizer,
   }
 
   m_fitMethodSet = true;
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -235,8 +225,6 @@ void FitOneSinglePeak::setupGuessedFWHM(double usrwidth, int minfwhm,
 
     m_vecFWHM.push_back(in_fwhm);
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -254,8 +242,6 @@ void FitOneSinglePeak::setFitPeakCriteria(bool usepeakpostol,
     if (peakpostol < 1.0E-13)
       g_log.warning("Peak position tolerance is very tight. ");
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -440,8 +426,6 @@ void FitOneSinglePeak::removeBackground(MatrixWorkspace_sptr purePeakWS) {
     vecY[i] = y;
     vecE[i] = 1.0;
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -568,8 +552,6 @@ void FitOneSinglePeak::highBkgdFit() {
   m_sstream << "MultStep-Fit: Best Fitted Peak: " << m_peakFunc->asString()
             << ". Final " << m_costFunction << " = " << compcost << "\n"
             << "Number of calls on Fit = " << m_numFitCalls << "\n";
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -625,8 +607,6 @@ void FitOneSinglePeak::pop(const std::map<std::string, double> &funcparammap,
     double parvalue = miter->second;
     func->setParameter(parname, parvalue);
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -968,7 +948,7 @@ FitOneSinglePeak::fitBackground(API::IBackgroundFunction_sptr bkgdfunc) {
   */
 void FitOneSinglePeak::processNStoreFitResult(double rwp, bool storebkgd) {
   bool fitsuccess = true;
-  string failreason("");
+  string failreason;
 
   if (rwp < DBL_MAX) {
     // A valid Rwp returned from Fit
@@ -1023,8 +1003,6 @@ void FitOneSinglePeak::processNStoreFitResult(double rwp, bool storebkgd) {
   } else if (!fitsuccess) {
     m_sstream << "Reason of fit's failure: " << failreason << "\n";
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1199,8 +1177,6 @@ void FitPeak::init() {
   declareProperty("CostFunctionValue", DBL_MAX,
                   "Value of cost function of the fitted peak. ",
                   Kernel::Direction::Output);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1244,8 +1220,6 @@ void FitPeak::exec() {
 
   // Output
   setupOutput(fit1peakalg.getPeakError(), fit1peakalg.getBackgroundError());
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1387,8 +1361,6 @@ void FitPeak::processProperties() {
 
   // Output option
   m_outputRawParams = getProperty("RawParams");
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1470,8 +1442,6 @@ void FitPeak::createFunctions() {
   for (size_t i = 0; i < m_peakParameterNames.size(); ++i) {
     m_peakFunc->setParameter(m_peakParameterNames[i], vec_peakparvalues[i]);
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1511,8 +1481,6 @@ void FitPeak::prescreenInputData() {
   // Peak width and centre: from user input
   m_userGuessedFWHM = m_peakFunc->fwhm();
   m_userPeakCentre = m_peakFunc->centre();
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1591,8 +1559,6 @@ void FitPeak::setupOutput(
 
   // Output chi^2 or Rwp
   setProperty("CostFunctionValue", m_finalGoodnessValue);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/FixGSASInstrumentFile.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/FixGSASInstrumentFile.cpp
index b3df69dcef5..3ac50a1ef26 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/FixGSASInstrumentFile.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/FixGSASInstrumentFile.cpp
@@ -45,8 +45,6 @@ void FixGSASInstrumentFile::init() {
                                         FileProperty::Save, exts),
       "Name of the output GSAS instrument parameter file to have format "
       "fixed. ");
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -98,8 +96,6 @@ void FixGSASInstrumentFile::exec() {
   }
 
   ofile.close();
-
-  return;
 }
 
 } // namespace Algorithms
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/GeneralisedSecondDifference.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/GeneralisedSecondDifference.cpp
index ed563adbeaa..e654398316a 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/GeneralisedSecondDifference.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/GeneralisedSecondDifference.cpp
@@ -123,8 +123,6 @@ void GeneralisedSecondDifference::exec() {
     progress->report();
   }
   setProperty("OutputWorkspace", out);
-
-  return;
 }
 /** Compute the Cij
  *
@@ -174,7 +172,6 @@ void GeneralisedSecondDifference::computePrefactors() {
   m_Cij2.resize(2 * m_z * m_m + 3);
   std::transform(m_Cij.begin(), m_Cij.end(), m_Cij2.begin(),
                  VectorHelper::Squares<double>());
-  return;
 }
 
 } // namespace Algorithm
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/GenerateEventsFilter.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/GenerateEventsFilter.cpp
index b9cb60573cd..b8be159438b 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/GenerateEventsFilter.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/GenerateEventsFilter.cpp
@@ -175,8 +175,6 @@ void GenerateEventsFilter::init() {
 
   declareProperty("NumberOfThreads", EMPTY_INT(),
                   "Number of threads forced to use in the parallel mode. ");
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -215,8 +213,6 @@ void GenerateEventsFilter::exec() {
     setProperty("OutputWorkspace", m_splitWS);
   }
   setProperty("InformationWorkspace", m_filterInfoWS);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -262,8 +258,6 @@ void GenerateEventsFilter::processInOutWorkspaces() {
                   "FastLog on. ");
     m_forFastLog = true;
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -366,8 +360,6 @@ void GenerateEventsFilter::processInputTime() {
                       << "; Run start = " << runstarttime.toISO8601String()
                       << ", Run stop = " << m_runEndTime.toISO8601String()
                       << "\n";
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -492,8 +484,6 @@ void GenerateEventsFilter::setFilterByTimeOnly() {
       } // END-FOR
     }   // END-WHILE
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -632,8 +622,6 @@ void GenerateEventsFilter::setFilterByLogValue(std::string logname) {
 
   g_log.information() << "Minimum value = " << minvalue << ", "
                       << "maximum value = " << maxvalue << ".\n";
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -682,8 +670,6 @@ void GenerateEventsFilter::processSingleValueFilter(double minvalue,
     ss << " decrease";
   }
   row << 0 << ss.str();
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -798,8 +784,6 @@ void GenerateEventsFilter::processMultipleValueFilters(double minvalue,
         indexwsindexmap, logvalueranges, logboundary.compare("centre") == 0,
         filterincrease, filterdecrease, m_startTime, m_stopTime);
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -847,7 +831,7 @@ void GenerateEventsFilter::makeFilterBySingleValue(
   DateAndTime start, stop;
 
   size_t progslot = 0;
-  string info("");
+  string info;
 
   for (int i = 0; i < m_dblLog->size(); i++) {
     lastTime = currT;
@@ -905,8 +889,6 @@ void GenerateEventsFilter::makeFilterBySingleValue(
     addNewTimeFilterSplitter(start, stop, wsindex, info);
     numgood = 0;
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1007,8 +989,6 @@ void GenerateEventsFilter::makeMultipleFiltersByValues(
       logvalueranges, tol, filterIncrease, filterDecrease, startTime, stopTime);
 
   progress(1.0);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1180,8 +1160,6 @@ void GenerateEventsFilter::makeMultipleFiltersByValuesParallel(
     }
 
     progress(1.0);
-
-    return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1423,8 +1401,6 @@ void GenerateEventsFilter::makeMultipleFiltersByValuesPartialLog(
     makeSplitterInVector(vecSplitTime, vecSplitGroup, start, stop, lastindex,
                          tol_ns, laststoptime);
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1588,8 +1564,6 @@ void GenerateEventsFilter::processIntegerValueFilter(int minvalue, int maxvalue,
                       << ": Number of splitters = " << m_vecSplitterGroup.size()
                       << ", Number of split info = "
                       << m_filterInfoWS->rowCount() << ".\n";
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1712,8 +1686,6 @@ void GenerateEventsFilter::addNewTimeFilterSplitter(
     API::TableRow row = m_filterInfoWS->appendRow();
     row << wsindex << info;
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1785,8 +1757,6 @@ void GenerateEventsFilter::generateSplittersInMatrixWorkspace() {
   for (size_t i = 0; i < sizey; ++i) {
     dataY[i] = static_cast<double>(m_vecSplitterGroup[i]);
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1825,8 +1795,6 @@ void GenerateEventsFilter::generateSplittersInMatrixWorkspaceParallel() {
   }
   dataX[index] = static_cast<double>(
       m_vecSplitterTimeSet.back().back().totalNanoseconds());
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1842,8 +1810,6 @@ void GenerateEventsFilter::generateSplittersInSplitterWS() {
       m_splitWS->addSplitter(newsplit);
     }
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/GenerateIPythonNotebook.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/GenerateIPythonNotebook.cpp
index 3a2cdc77ffd..ee5f18dc756 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/GenerateIPythonNotebook.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/GenerateIPythonNotebook.cpp
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ void GenerateIPythonNotebook::exec() {
     versionSpecificity = "all";
 
   NotebookBuilder builder(view, versionSpecificity);
-  std::string generatedNotebook = "";
+  std::string generatedNotebook;
   generatedNotebook +=
       builder.build(ws->getName(), ws->getTitle(), ws->getComment());
 
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/GeneratePeaks.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/GeneratePeaks.cpp
index e06d85b6c63..049dce50f20 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/GeneratePeaks.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/GeneratePeaks.cpp
@@ -125,8 +125,6 @@ void GeneratePeaks::init() {
       "width; "
       "the default order of effective background parameters is A0, A1 and "
       "A2. ");
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -162,8 +160,6 @@ void GeneratePeaks::exec() {
   }
 
   generatePeaks(functionmap, outputWS);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -229,8 +225,6 @@ void GeneratePeaks::processAlgProperties(std::string &peakfunctype,
     m_spectraSet.insert(static_cast<specnum_t>(m_wsIndex));
     m_SpectrumMap.emplace(static_cast<specnum_t>(m_wsIndex), 0);
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -346,8 +340,6 @@ void GeneratePeaks::importPeaksFromTable(
         mapiter->second;
     std::sort(vec_centrefunc.begin(), vec_centrefunc.end());
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -416,8 +408,6 @@ void GeneratePeaks::importPeakFromVector(
 
   // Set up function map
   functionmap.emplace_back(m_peakFunction->centre(), compfunc);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -501,8 +491,6 @@ void GeneratePeaks::generatePeaks(
 
     } // ENDFOR(ipeak)
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -519,8 +507,6 @@ void GeneratePeaks::createFunction(std::string &peaktype,
   if (m_genBackground)
     m_bkgdFunction = boost::dynamic_pointer_cast<IBackgroundFunction>(
         API::FunctionFactory::Instance().createFunction(bkgdtype));
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -622,8 +608,6 @@ void GeneratePeaks::processTableColumnNames() {
                             m_funcParameterNames.begin()) +
            1;
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -651,8 +635,6 @@ void GeneratePeaks::getSpectraSet(
     m_SpectrumMap.emplace(specnum, icount);
     ++icount;
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/GeneratePythonScript.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/GeneratePythonScript.cpp
index f6ccd21f616..a5624685f53 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/GeneratePythonScript.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/GeneratePythonScript.cpp
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ void GeneratePythonScript::exec() {
     versionSpecificity = "all";
 
   ScriptBuilder builder(view, versionSpecificity);
-  std::string generatedScript = "";
+  std::string generatedScript;
   generatedScript += "#########################################################"
                      "#############\n";
   generatedScript +=
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/GetDetOffsetsMultiPeaks.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/GetDetOffsetsMultiPeaks.cpp
index 3e042bd5d0e..f3c085c644b 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/GetDetOffsetsMultiPeaks.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/GetDetOffsetsMultiPeaks.cpp
@@ -281,8 +281,6 @@ void GetDetOffsetsMultiPeaks::exec() {
   // Make summary
   progress(0.92, "Making summary");
   makeFitSummary();
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -380,8 +378,6 @@ void GetDetOffsetsMultiPeaks::processProperties() {
       throw std::runtime_error(
           "Input workspace does not match resolution workspace. ");
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -463,8 +459,6 @@ void GetDetOffsetsMultiPeaks::importFitWindowTableWorkspace(
       if (m_vecFitWindow[i].empty())
         m_vecFitWindow[i] = vec_univFitWindow;
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -546,8 +540,6 @@ void GetDetOffsetsMultiPeaks::calculateDetectorsOffsets() {
       PARALLEL_END_INTERUPT_REGION
     }
     PARALLEL_CHECK_INTERUPT_REGION
-
-    return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -770,7 +762,6 @@ void GetDetOffsetsMultiPeaks::fitPeaksOffset(
   gsl_vector_free(x);
   gsl_vector_free(ss);
   gsl_multimin_fminimizer_free(s);
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -802,8 +793,6 @@ void deletePeaks(std::vector<size_t> &banned, std::vector<double> &peakPosToFit,
     vecDeltaDovD.erase(vecDeltaDovD.begin() + (*it));
   }
   banned.clear();
-
-  return;
 }
 }
 
@@ -1119,8 +1108,6 @@ void GetDetOffsetsMultiPeaks::generatePeaksList(
   Statistics widthDivPos = getStatistics(vec_widthDivPos);
   deltaDovD = widthDivPos.mean;
   dev_deltaDovD = widthDivPos.standard_deviation;
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1170,8 +1157,6 @@ void GetDetOffsetsMultiPeaks::createInformationWorkspaces() {
   // Create resolution (delta(d)/d) workspace
   m_resolutionWS = boost::dynamic_pointer_cast<MatrixWorkspace>(
       WorkspaceFactory::Instance().create("Workspace2D", numspec, 1, 1));
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1254,8 +1239,6 @@ void GetDetOffsetsMultiPeaks::addInfoToReportWS(
     size_t icol = m_peakOffsetTableWS->columnCount() - 1;
     m_peakOffsetTableWS->cell<double>(wi, icol) = stddev;
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1288,8 +1271,6 @@ void GetDetOffsetsMultiPeaks::removeEmptyRowsFromPeakOffsetTable() {
       ++icurrow;
     }
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/GetTimeSeriesLogInformation.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/GetTimeSeriesLogInformation.cpp
index 0345bee1be2..f2edad58b1d 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/GetTimeSeriesLogInformation.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/GetTimeSeriesLogInformation.cpp
@@ -76,8 +76,6 @@ void GetTimeSeriesLogInformation::init() {
   declareProperty("IgnoreNegativeTimeInterval", false,
                   "If true, then the time interval with negative number will "
                   "be neglected in doing statistic.");
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Main execution
@@ -145,12 +143,6 @@ void GetTimeSeriesLogInformation::exec() {
 
   this->setProperty("OutputWorkspace",
                     boost::dynamic_pointer_cast<MatrixWorkspace>(timestatws));
-
-  // 4. Do more staticts (examine)
-  // std::string outputdir = this->getProperty("OutputDirectory");
-  // examLog(logname, outputdir);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Do statistic on user proposed range and examine the log
@@ -235,8 +227,6 @@ void GetTimeSeriesLogInformation::processTimeRange() {
     g_log.error(errmsg.str());
     throw std::invalid_argument(errmsg.str());
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Convert a value in nanosecond to DateAndTime.  The value is treated as an
@@ -501,50 +491,6 @@ void GetTimeSeriesLogInformation::checkLogBasicInforamtion() {
   m_dblInfoMap.emplace("Sigma(dt)", std_dt);
   m_dblInfoMap.emplace("Min(dT)", min_dt);
   m_dblInfoMap.emplace("Max(dT)", max_dt);
-
-  // 3. Count number of time intervals beyond 10% of deviation
-  /* Temporarily disabled
-  for (size_t i = 1; ; i ++)
-  {
-    int64_t dtns =
-  m_timeVec[i].totalNanoseconds()-m_timeVec[i-1].totalNanoseconds();
-    double dtms = static_cast<double>(dtns)*1.0E-3;
-
-    if (dtms > dtmsA10p)
-      numdtabove10p ++;
-    else if (dtms < dtmsB10p)
-      numdtbelow10p ++;
-
-  } // ENDFOR
-  */
-
-  // 4. Output
-  /* Temporily disabled
-  g_log.notice() << "Run Start = " << t0.totalNanoseconds() << '\n';
-  g_log.notice() << "First Log: " << "Absolute Time = " <<
-  m_timeVec[0].totalNanoseconds() << "(ns), "
-                 << "Relative Time = " <<
-  DateAndTime::nanosecondsFromDuration(dts) << "(ns) \n";
-  g_log.notice() << "Last  Log: " << "Absolute Time = " <<
-  m_timeVec[f].totalNanoseconds() << "(ns), "
-                 << "Relative Time = " <<
-  DateAndTime::nanosecondsFromDuration(dtf) << "(ns) \n";
-  g_log.notice() << "Normal   dt = " << numnormal << '\n';
-  g_log.notice() << "Zero     dt = " << numsame << '\n';
-  g_log.notice() << "Negative dt = " << numinvert << '\n';
-  g_log.notice() << "Avg d(T) = " << dt << " seconds +/- " << stddt << ",
-  Frequency = " << 1.0/dt << '\n';
-  g_log.notice() << "d(T) (unit ms) is in range [" << mindtms << ", " << maxdtms
-  << "]"<< '\n';
-  g_log.notice() << "Number of d(T) 10% larger than average  = " <<
-  numdtabove10p << '\n';
-  g_log.notice() << "Number of d(T) 10% smaller than average = " <<
-  numdtbelow10p << '\n';
-
-  g_log.notice() << "Size of timevec = " << m_timeVec.size() << '\n';
-  */
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Check whether log values are changing from 2 adjacent time stamps
@@ -577,8 +523,6 @@ void GetTimeSeriesLogInformation::checkLogValueChanging(
   m_intInfoMap.insert(
       make_pair("Number of adjacent time stamp w/o value change", numchange));
   g_log.debug() << ss.str();
-
-  return;
 }
 
 } // namespace Mantid
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/He3TubeEfficiency.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/He3TubeEfficiency.cpp
index 59eae15e3aa..aa3cbf5d2bd 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/He3TubeEfficiency.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/He3TubeEfficiency.cpp
@@ -191,8 +191,6 @@ void He3TubeEfficiency::correctForEfficiency(std::size_t spectraIndex) {
     ++einItr;
     ++xItr;
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/Integration.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/Integration.cpp
index 667c89d733c..b035bf502ef 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/Integration.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/Integration.cpp
@@ -273,8 +273,6 @@ void Integration::exec() {
 
   // Assign it to the output workspace property
   setProperty("OutputWorkspace", outputWorkspace);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/InvertMask.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/InvertMask.cpp
index 1fa7012ac57..d767d4c6d77 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/InvertMask.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/InvertMask.cpp
@@ -55,8 +55,6 @@ void InvertMask::exec() {
 
   // 3. Set
   this->setProperty("OutputWorkspace", outputws);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 } // namespace Mantid
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/MaskBins.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/MaskBins.cpp
index 348d33ef83a..35831b21f76 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/MaskBins.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/MaskBins.cpp
@@ -154,8 +154,6 @@ void MaskBins::exec() {
 
     } // ENDFOR(i)
   }   // ENDIFELSE(eventworkspace?)
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Execution code for EventWorkspaces
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/MaskBinsFromTable.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/MaskBinsFromTable.cpp
index 8c23bf7d3c0..81b0850543d 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/MaskBinsFromTable.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/MaskBinsFromTable.cpp
@@ -42,8 +42,6 @@ void MaskBinsFromTable::init() {
           "MaskingInformation", "", Direction::Input),
       "Input TableWorkspace containing parameters, XMin and "
       "XMax and either SpectraList or DetectorIDsList");
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -58,8 +56,6 @@ void MaskBinsFromTable::exec() {
 
   // Mask bins for all
   maskBins(inputWS);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -123,8 +119,6 @@ void MaskBinsFromTable::maskBins(API::MatrixWorkspace_sptr dataws) {
   g_log.debug() << "About to set to output."
                 << "\n";
   setProperty("OutputWorkspace", outputws);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -203,8 +197,6 @@ void MaskBinsFromTable::processMaskBinWorkspace(
     m_xmaxVec.push_back(xmax);
     m_spectraVec.push_back(spectralist);
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/MaskDetectorsIf.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/MaskDetectorsIf.cpp
index ceb2f7ee80b..f504d0d8fdd 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/MaskDetectorsIf.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/MaskDetectorsIf.cpp
@@ -84,7 +84,6 @@ void MaskDetectorsIf::exec() {
   std::string newf = getProperty("OutputCalFile");
   progress(0.99, "Creating new cal file");
   createNewCalFile(oldf, newf);
-  return;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -126,8 +125,6 @@ void MaskDetectorsIf::retrieveProperties() {
   if (newf.empty()) {
     throw std::runtime_error("OutputCalFile is empty. Enter a filename");
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -173,7 +170,6 @@ void MaskDetectorsIf::createNewCalFile(const std::string &oldfile,
   }
   oldf.close();
   newf.close();
-  return;
 }
 
 std::string
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/MaxMin.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/MaxMin.cpp
index 381a102f218..4c99bbacd02 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/MaxMin.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/MaxMin.cpp
@@ -144,8 +144,6 @@ void MaxMin::exec() {
 
   // Assign it to the output workspace property
   setProperty("OutputWorkspace", outputWorkspace);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 } // namespace Algorithms
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/NormaliseToUnity.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/NormaliseToUnity.cpp
index f3ff4e2a50f..b0c82b4b4f6 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/NormaliseToUnity.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/NormaliseToUnity.cpp
@@ -104,8 +104,6 @@ void NormaliseToUnity::exec() {
 
   // Assign it to the output workspace property
   setProperty("OutputWorkspace", result);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 } // namespace Algorithms
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/ReadGroupsFromFile.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/ReadGroupsFromFile.cpp
index 3a8825dd990..5d3069371d4 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/ReadGroupsFromFile.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/ReadGroupsFromFile.cpp
@@ -146,7 +146,6 @@ void ReadGroupsFromFile::exec() {
                              " existing in instrument " + inst->getName());
   }
   setProperty("OutputWorkspace", localWorkspace);
-  return;
 }
 
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -174,7 +173,6 @@ void ReadGroupsFromFile::readGroupingFile(const std::string &filename) {
   }
   grFile.close();
   progress(0.7);
-  return;
 }
 
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/Rebin.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/Rebin.cpp
index 7d22f8ccd48..17b6b181172 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/Rebin.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/Rebin.cpp
@@ -306,8 +306,6 @@ void Rebin::exec() {
     setProperty("OutputWorkspace", outputWS);
 
   } // END ---- Workspace2D
-
-  return;
 }
 //
 //    /** Continue execution for EventWorkspace scenario */
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/RebinByTimeBase.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/RebinByTimeBase.cpp
index 39434c54213..024320a90c8 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/RebinByTimeBase.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/RebinByTimeBase.cpp
@@ -147,8 +147,6 @@ void RebinByTimeBase::exec() {
 
   // Go through all the histograms and set the data
   doHistogramming(inWS, outputWS, XValues_new, OutXValues_scaled, prog);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 } // namespace Algorithms
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/Rebunch.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/Rebunch.cpp
index 9598a43c626..8dfa51318a3 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/Rebunch.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/Rebunch.cpp
@@ -123,8 +123,6 @@ void Rebunch::exec() {
 
   // Assign it to the output workspace property
   setProperty("OutputWorkspace", outputW);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Rebunches histogram data data according to n_bunch input
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/Regroup.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/Regroup.cpp
index e3a01f68d5f..23fdb9693fd 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/Regroup.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/Regroup.cpp
@@ -114,8 +114,6 @@ void Regroup::exec() {
 
   // Assign it to the output workspace property
   setProperty("OutputWorkspace", outputW);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Regroup the data according to new output X array
@@ -172,8 +170,6 @@ void Regroup::rebin(const std::vector<double> &xold,
       enew[i] = sqrt(enew[i]);
     }
   }
-
-  return; // without problems
 }
 
 /** Creates a new  output X array  according to specific boundary defnitions
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/RemoveBackground.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/RemoveBackground.cpp
index fc726358de6..d9c336f5a7c 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/RemoveBackground.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/RemoveBackground.cpp
@@ -142,8 +142,6 @@ void RemoveBackground::exec() {
   PARALLEL_CHECK_INTERUPT_REGION
   // Assign it to the output workspace property
   setProperty("OutputWorkspace", outputWS);
-
-  return;
 }
 //-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 //----------------     BACKGROUND HELPER
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/RemoveBins.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/RemoveBins.cpp
index 3fe66a1c404..6df4a8e7e72 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/RemoveBins.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/RemoveBins.cpp
@@ -204,8 +204,6 @@ void RemoveBins::checkProperties() {
 
   const std::string interpolation = getProperty("Interpolation");
   m_interpolate = (interpolation == "Linear");
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /// Calls CropWorkspace as a Child Algorithm to remove bins from the start or
@@ -223,7 +221,6 @@ void RemoveBins::crop(const double &start, const double &end) {
   // Assign the result to the output workspace property
   MatrixWorkspace_sptr outputWS = childAlg->getProperty("OutputWorkspace");
   setProperty("OutputWorkspace", outputWS);
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Convert the X range given into the unit of the input workspace
@@ -260,7 +257,6 @@ void RemoveBins::transformRangeUnit(const int &index, double &startX,
 
   g_log.debug() << "For index " << index << ", X range given corresponds to "
                 << startX << "-" << endX << " in workspace's unit\n";
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Retrieves the detector postion for a given spectrum
@@ -298,7 +294,6 @@ void RemoveBins::calculateDetectorPosition(const int &index, double &l1,
   }
   g_log.debug() << "Detector for index " << index << " has L1+L2=" << l1 + l2
                 << " & 2theta= " << twoTheta << '\n';
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Finds the index in an ordered vector which follows the given value
@@ -329,8 +324,6 @@ void RemoveBins::RemoveFromEnds(int start, int end, MantidVec &Y,
     Y[j] = 0.0;
     E[j] = 0.0;
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Removes bins in the middle of the data (Y/E).
@@ -383,8 +376,6 @@ void RemoveBins::RemoveFromMiddle(const int &start, const int &end,
       E[j] = aveE;
     }
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 } // namespace Algorithm
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/SmoothNeighbours.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/SmoothNeighbours.cpp
index c4be23849ba..681d4d9707b 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/SmoothNeighbours.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/SmoothNeighbours.cpp
@@ -227,7 +227,6 @@ void SmoothNeighbours::findNeighboursRectangular() {
     setWeightingStrategy("Flat", Radius);
     nNeighbours = AdjX * AdjY - 1;
     findNeighboursUbiqutious();
-    return;
   }
 
   // Resize the vector we are setting
@@ -759,7 +758,6 @@ void SmoothNeighbours::spreadPixels(MatrixWorkspace_sptr outws) {
     }
   }
   this->setProperty("OutputWorkspace", outws2);
-  return;
 }
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 /** Execute the algorithm for a EventWorkspace input
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/SortEvents.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/SortEvents.cpp
index 2b334bc5642..d21053acee2 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/SortEvents.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/SortEvents.cpp
@@ -63,8 +63,6 @@ void SortEvents::exec() {
 
   // This runs the SortEvents algorithm in parallel
   eventW->sortAll(sortType, &prog);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 } // namespace Algorithm
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/StripVanadiumPeaks2.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/StripVanadiumPeaks2.cpp
index a03a90fcbb4..a29c6f9485d 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/StripVanadiumPeaks2.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/StripVanadiumPeaks2.cpp
@@ -62,8 +62,6 @@ void StripVanadiumPeaks2::init() {
   declareProperty("WorkspaceIndex", EMPTY_INT(), mustBePositive,
                   "If set, peaks will only be removed from this workspace "
                   "index (otherwise from all) ");
-
-  return;
 }
 
 void StripVanadiumPeaks2::exec() {
@@ -126,8 +124,6 @@ void StripVanadiumPeaks2::exec() {
       stripPeaks->getProperty("OutputWorkspace");
 
   this->setProperty("OutputWorkspace", outputWS);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 } // namespace Mantid
diff --git a/Framework/Algorithms/src/UnaryOperation.cpp b/Framework/Algorithms/src/UnaryOperation.cpp
index c0727b121a7..489950abcfd 100644
--- a/Framework/Algorithms/src/UnaryOperation.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Algorithms/src/UnaryOperation.cpp
@@ -102,7 +102,6 @@ void UnaryOperation::exec() {
     PARALLEL_END_INTERUPT_REGION
   }
   PARALLEL_CHECK_INTERUPT_REGION
-  return;
 }
 
 /// Executes the algorithm for events
diff --git a/Framework/Crystal/src/AnvredCorrection.cpp b/Framework/Crystal/src/AnvredCorrection.cpp
index e3cac86fb9c..2d4dc8e1737 100644
--- a/Framework/Crystal/src/AnvredCorrection.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Crystal/src/AnvredCorrection.cpp
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ void AnvredCorrection::exec() {
     int bank = 0;
     double depth = 0.2;
     double pathlength = 0.0;
-    std::string bankName = "";
+    std::string bankName;
     if (m_useScaleFactors)
       scale_init(det, inst, bank, L2, depth, pathlength, bankName);
 
@@ -334,7 +334,7 @@ void AnvredCorrection::execEvent() {
     int bank = 0;
     double depth = 0.2;
     double pathlength = 0.0;
-    std::string bankName = "";
+    std::string bankName;
     if (m_useScaleFactors)
       scale_init(det, inst, bank, L2, depth, pathlength, bankName);
 
diff --git a/Framework/Crystal/src/FindSXPeaks.cpp b/Framework/Crystal/src/FindSXPeaks.cpp
index 48f6d9c0f03..23393f68051 100644
--- a/Framework/Crystal/src/FindSXPeaks.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Crystal/src/FindSXPeaks.cpp
@@ -200,7 +200,6 @@ void FindSXPeaks::exec() {
 
   setProperty("OutputWorkspace", m_peaks);
   progress.report();
-  return;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/Framework/Crystal/src/IntegratePeakTimeSlices.cpp b/Framework/Crystal/src/IntegratePeakTimeSlices.cpp
index f032f41de23..8694cbbbe07 100644
--- a/Framework/Crystal/src/IntegratePeakTimeSlices.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Crystal/src/IntegratePeakTimeSlices.cpp
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ void IntegratePeakTimeSlices::exec() {
   double Row0 = lastRow;
   double lastCol = m_COL;
   double Col0 = lastCol;
-  string spec_idList = "";
+  string spec_idList;
 
   // For quickly looking up workspace index from det id
   m_wi_to_detid_map = inpWkSpace->getDetectorIDToWorkspaceIndexMap();
diff --git a/Framework/Crystal/src/MaskPeaksWorkspace.cpp b/Framework/Crystal/src/MaskPeaksWorkspace.cpp
index abe042d2b12..3626d4b217b 100644
--- a/Framework/Crystal/src/MaskPeaksWorkspace.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Crystal/src/MaskPeaksWorkspace.cpp
@@ -167,8 +167,6 @@ void MaskPeaksWorkspace::exec() {
   maskbinstb->setPropertyValue("OutputWorkspace", m_inputW->getName());
   maskbinstb->setProperty("MaskingInformation", tablews);
   maskbinstb->execute();
-
-  return;
 }
 
 void MaskPeaksWorkspace::retrieveProperties() {
diff --git a/Framework/Crystal/src/OptimizeCrystalPlacement.cpp b/Framework/Crystal/src/OptimizeCrystalPlacement.cpp
index 70a6f193af6..de017a0d633 100644
--- a/Framework/Crystal/src/OptimizeCrystalPlacement.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Crystal/src/OptimizeCrystalPlacement.cpp
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@ void OptimizeCrystalPlacement::exec() {
   //--------- Setting Function and Constraint argumens to PeakHKLErrors
   //---------------
   std::vector<std::string> ChRunNumList;
-  std::string predChar = "";
+  std::string predChar;
   for (auto runNum : RunNumList) {
     auto it1 = NOoptimizeRuns.begin();
     for (; it1 != NOoptimizeRuns.end() && *it1 != runNum; ++it1) {
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ void OptimizeCrystalPlacement::exec() {
 
   int nParams = 3;
   double DegreeTol = getProperty("MaxAngularChange");
-  std::string startConstraint = "";
+  std::string startConstraint;
 
   for (size_t i = 0; i < RunNumList.size(); i++) {
     int runNum = RunNumList[i];
@@ -342,7 +342,7 @@ void OptimizeCrystalPlacement::exec() {
 
   fit_alg->setProperty("CreateOutput", true);
 
-  std::string Ties = "";
+  std::string Ties;
 
   if (!(bool)getProperty("AdjustSampleOffsets")) {
     std::ostringstream oss3(std::ostringstream::out);
diff --git a/Framework/Crystal/src/SCDCalibratePanels.cpp b/Framework/Crystal/src/SCDCalibratePanels.cpp
index 901afacacf7..a9a8d2012c4 100644
--- a/Framework/Crystal/src/SCDCalibratePanels.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Crystal/src/SCDCalibratePanels.cpp
@@ -761,7 +761,7 @@ void SCDCalibratePanels::exec() {
       // algorithm--------------------
 
       // set up the string for specifying groups
-      string BankNameString = "";
+      string BankNameString;
       // for (auto group = Groups.begin(); group != Groups.end(); ++group) {
       // if (group != Groups.begin())
       // BankNameString += "!";
diff --git a/Framework/Crystal/src/SCDPanelErrors.cpp b/Framework/Crystal/src/SCDPanelErrors.cpp
index d4f0faf48d6..b7af4812f66 100644
--- a/Framework/Crystal/src/SCDPanelErrors.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Crystal/src/SCDPanelErrors.cpp
@@ -457,7 +457,7 @@ void SCDPanelErrors::function1D(double *out, const double *xValues,
   //----------------------------------
 
   // determine the OrientedLattice for converting to Q-sample
-  Geometry::OrientedLattice lattice(*m_unitCell.get());
+  Geometry::OrientedLattice lattice(*m_unitCell);
   lattice.setUB(m_peaks->sample().getOrientedLattice().getUB());
 
   // cumulative error
@@ -560,7 +560,6 @@ void SCDPanelErrors::functionDeriv1D(Jacobian *out, const double *xValues,
     return;
   FunctionDomain1DView domain(xValues, nData);
   calNumericalDeriv(domain, *out);
-  return;
 }
 
 DataObjects::Workspace2D_sptr
diff --git a/Framework/Crystal/src/SaveHKL.cpp b/Framework/Crystal/src/SaveHKL.cpp
index e8743669b3e..1de44b33f81 100644
--- a/Framework/Crystal/src/SaveHKL.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Crystal/src/SaveHKL.cpp
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ void SaveHKL::exec() {
   bool append = getProperty("AppendFile");
   if (append && Poco::File(filename.c_str()).exists()) {
     IAlgorithm_sptr load_alg = createChildAlgorithm("LoadHKL");
-    load_alg->setPropertyValue("Filename", filename.c_str());
+    load_alg->setPropertyValue("Filename", filename);
     load_alg->setProperty("OutputWorkspace", "peaks");
     load_alg->executeAsChildAlg();
     // Get back the result
diff --git a/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Algorithms/ConvolveWorkspaces.cpp b/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Algorithms/ConvolveWorkspaces.cpp
index adf8a57d14e..896d7bcbb21 100644
--- a/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Algorithms/ConvolveWorkspaces.cpp
+++ b/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Algorithms/ConvolveWorkspaces.cpp
@@ -97,7 +97,6 @@ void ConvolveWorkspaces::exec() {
   PARALLEL_CHECK_INTERUPT_REGION
   // Assign it to the output workspace property
   setProperty("OutputWorkspace", outputWS);
-  return;
 }
 
 } // namespace Algorithms
diff --git a/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Algorithms/Fit1D.cpp b/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Algorithms/Fit1D.cpp
index 78e054790f5..f7dd4b8e816 100644
--- a/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Algorithms/Fit1D.cpp
+++ b/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Algorithms/Fit1D.cpp
@@ -767,8 +767,6 @@ void Fit1D::exec() {
   delete[] l_data.forSimplexLSwrap;
   delete[] l_data.parameters;
   gsl_vector_free(initFuncArg);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /**  Constructor.
diff --git a/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Algorithms/FitPowderDiffPeaks.cpp b/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Algorithms/FitPowderDiffPeaks.cpp
index 6afadfa64c4..67ecb3ad967 100644
--- a/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Algorithms/FitPowderDiffPeaks.cpp
+++ b/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Algorithms/FitPowderDiffPeaks.cpp
@@ -196,8 +196,6 @@ void FitPowderDiffPeaks::init() {
   declareProperty("FitCompositePeakBackground", true,
                   "Flag to do fit to both peak and background in a composite "
                   "function as last fit step.");
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -267,8 +265,6 @@ void FitPowderDiffPeaks::exec() {
   // c) Create data workspace for X0, A, B and S of peak with good fit
   Workspace2D_sptr peakparamvaluews = genPeakParameterDataWorkspace();
   setProperty("OutputBraggPeakParameterDataWorkspace", peakparamvaluews);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -353,8 +349,6 @@ void FitPowderDiffPeaks::processInputProperties() {
   m_minPeakHeight = getProperty("MinimumPeakHeight");
 
   m_fitPeakBackgroundComposite = getProperty("FitCompositePeakBackground");
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //=================================  Fit Peaks In Robust Mode
@@ -519,8 +513,6 @@ void FitPowderDiffPeaks::fitPeaksRobust() {
     }
 
   } // ENDFOR Peaks
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -572,8 +564,6 @@ void FitPowderDiffPeaks::observePeakRange(BackToBackExponential_sptr thispeak,
       g_log.warning() << "Peak @ " << peakcentre
                       << "'s right boundary is too close to its right peak!\n";
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1220,8 +1210,6 @@ void FitPowderDiffPeaks::fitPeaksWithGoodStartingValues() {
   // 3. Clean up
   g_log.information() << "[FitPeaks] Number of peak of good chi2 = "
                       << m_chi2GoodFitPeaks.size() << '\n';
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1518,8 +1506,6 @@ void FitPowderDiffPeaks::calculatePeakFitBoundary(size_t ileftpeak,
     if (rightneighborleftbound < peakrightboundary)
       peakrightboundary = rightneighborleftbound;
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //=======================  Fit 1 Set of Overlapped Peaks ======================
@@ -1648,7 +1634,6 @@ void FitPowderDiffPeaks::storeFunctionParameters(
   parammaps.clear();
   for (auto &paramname : paramnames)
     parammaps.emplace(paramname, function->getParameter(paramname));
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1662,8 +1647,6 @@ void FitPowderDiffPeaks::restoreFunctionParameters(
     if (miter != parammap.end())
       function->setParameter(parname, miter->second);
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -2146,8 +2129,6 @@ void FitPowderDiffPeaks::estimatePeakHeightsLeBail(
                         << "  Set Guessed Height (LeBail) = "
                         << thispeak->height() << '\n';
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -2166,8 +2147,6 @@ void FitPowderDiffPeaks::setOverlappedPeaksConstraints(
         thispeak.get(), "X0", leftcentrebound, rightcentrebound, false);
     thispeak->addConstraint(bc);
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -2325,8 +2304,6 @@ void FitPowderDiffPeaks::importInstrumentParameterFromTable(
     g_log.notice() << "[DBx211] Import parameter " << parname << ": " << value
                    << '\n';
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Import Bragg peak table workspace
@@ -2376,8 +2353,6 @@ void FitPowderDiffPeaks::parseBraggPeakTable(
   g_log.information() << "Import " << hklmaps.size()
                       << " entries from Bragg peak TableWorkspace "
                       << peakws->name() << '\n';
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -2768,8 +2743,6 @@ void FitPowderDiffPeaks::genPeaksFromTable(TableWorkspace_sptr peakparamws) {
   }
   g_log.information() << "[DBx531] Peaks To Fit:  Number of peaks = "
                       << m_vecPeakFunctions.size() << "\n" << dbout.str();
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -3005,8 +2978,6 @@ void FitPowderDiffPeaks::plotFunction(IFunction_sptr peakfunction,
 
   for (int i = 0; i < static_cast<int>(domain.size()); ++i)
     m_peakData[i + ix0] += values2[i];
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //=====================================  Auxiliary Functions
@@ -3074,8 +3045,6 @@ void FitPowderDiffPeaks::cropWorkspace(double tofmin, double tofmax) {
          << m_dataWS->readX(m_wsIndex)[0] << ", "
          << m_dataWS->readX(m_wsIndex).back() << '\n';
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -3254,8 +3223,6 @@ void estimateBackgroundCoarse(DataObjects::Workspace2D_sptr dataws,
     pY[i] = Y[i] - bY[i];
     pE[i] = origE[i];
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Algorithms/LeBailFit.cpp b/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Algorithms/LeBailFit.cpp
index dbfa6c8dc3d..eb56384db7f 100644
--- a/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Algorithms/LeBailFit.cpp
+++ b/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Algorithms/LeBailFit.cpp
@@ -279,8 +279,6 @@ void LeBailFit::init() {
                   "Xmax+Tol will be imported. "
                   "It is used in the case that the geometry parameters are "
                   "close to true values. ");
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -374,8 +372,6 @@ void LeBailFit::exec() {
                  << ", Data points = " << m_outputWS->readY(1).size()
                  << ", Range = " << m_outputWS->readX(0)[0] << ", "
                  << m_outputWS->readX(0).back() << "\n";
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -443,8 +439,6 @@ void LeBailFit::processInputBackground() {
           "Polynomial and Chebyshev at least be order 0 (1 parameter). ");
     --m_bkgdorder;
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //===================================  Pattern Calculation & Minimizing
@@ -518,8 +512,6 @@ void LeBailFit::execPatternCalculation() {
         << "Input parameters are unable to generate peaks that are physical."
         << ".\n";
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //====================================  Refine background
@@ -679,8 +671,6 @@ void LeBailFit::execRefineBackground() {
   }
 
   setProperty("BackgroundParametersWorkspace", outtablews);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -692,8 +682,6 @@ void LeBailFit::storeBackgroundParameters(vector<double> &bkgdparamvec) {
   for (size_t i = 0; i < m_numberBkgdParameters; ++i) {
     bkgdparamvec[i] = m_backgroundFunction->getParameter(i);
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Restore/recover the buffered background parameters to m_background function
@@ -705,8 +693,6 @@ void LeBailFit::recoverBackgroundParameters(
   for (size_t i = 0; i < m_numberBkgdParameters; ++i) {
     m_backgroundFunction->setParameter(i, bkgdparamvec[i]);
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Propose new background parameters
@@ -727,8 +713,6 @@ void LeBailFit::proposeNewBackgroundValues() {
   m_backgroundFunction->setParameter(static_cast<size_t>(iparam), newvalue);
 
   ++m_roundBkgd;
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //===================================  Set up the Le Bail Fit
@@ -767,8 +751,6 @@ void LeBailFit::createLeBailFunction() {
   m_lebailFunction->addBackgroundFunction(
       m_backgroundType, m_bkgdorder, m_backgroundParameterNames,
       m_backgroundParameters, m_startX, m_endX);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -916,8 +898,6 @@ void LeBailFit::processInputProperties() {
 
   // Tolerance in peak positions to import peak
   m_peakCentreTol = getProperty("ToleranceToImportPeak");
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1085,8 +1065,6 @@ void LeBailFit::parseInstrumentParametersTable() {
       << parameterWS->name() << ". Imported " << m_funcParameters.size()
       << " parameters. "
       << "\n";
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1156,8 +1134,6 @@ void LeBailFit::parseBraggPeaksParametersTable() {
 
   g_log.information() << "Imported HKL TableWorkspace.   Size of Rows = "
                       << numrows << "\n";
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1235,8 +1211,6 @@ void LeBailFit::parseBackgroundTableWorkspace(TableWorkspace_sptr bkgdparamws,
     msg << bkgdparnames[iod] << " = " << bkgdorderparams[iod] << "; ";
   }
   g_log.information(msg.str());
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1295,8 +1269,6 @@ void LeBailFit::exportBraggPeakParameterToTable() {
 
   // Set property
   this->setProperty("OutputPeaksWorkspace", peakWS);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1387,8 +1359,6 @@ void LeBailFit::exportInstrumentParameterToTable(
 
   // 4. Add to output peroperty
   setProperty("OutputParameterWorkspace", parameterws);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1463,8 +1433,6 @@ void LeBailFit::createOutputDataWorkspace() {
   }
 
   m_outputWS->replaceAxis(1, tAxis);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 // ====================================== Random Walk Suite
@@ -1561,8 +1529,6 @@ void LeBailFit::execRandomWalkMinimizer(size_t maxcycles,
   par_rwp.name = "Rwp";
   par_rwp.curvalue = m_bestRwp;
   parammap["Rwp"] = par_rwp;
-
-  return;
 } // Main Exec MC
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1829,8 +1795,6 @@ void LeBailFit::setupRandomWalkStrategyFromTable(
     mapiter->second.numnomove = 0;
     mapiter->second.maxabsstepsize = -0.0;
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1969,8 +1933,6 @@ void LeBailFit::setupBuiltInRandomWalkStrategy() {
     mapiter->second.numnomove = 0;
     mapiter->second.maxabsstepsize = -0.0;
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1995,8 +1957,6 @@ void LeBailFit::addParameterToMCMinimize(vector<string> &parnamesforMC,
 
   if (pariter->second.fit)
     parnamesforMC.push_back(parname);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -2411,8 +2371,6 @@ void LeBailFit::bookKeepBestMCResult(map<string, Parameter> parammap,
     g_log.warning("[Book keep best MC result] Shouldn't be here as it is found "
                   "that it is not the best solution ");
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -2443,8 +2401,6 @@ void LeBailFit::applyParameterValues(map<string, Parameter> &srcparammap,
 
     tgtmapiter->second.curvalue = srcparam.curvalue;
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //===============================  Background Functions
@@ -2466,9 +2422,6 @@ void LeBailFit::fitBackground(size_t wsindex, FunctionDomain1DVector domain,
   MantidVec &vecSmoothBkgd = m_outputWS->dataY(SMOOTHEDBKGDINDEX);
 
   smoothBackgroundAnalytical(wsindex, domain, values, vecSmoothBkgd);
-  // smoothBackgroundExponential(wsindex, domain, values, vecSmoothBkgd);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -2573,64 +2526,6 @@ void LeBailFit::smoothBackgroundAnalytical(size_t wsindex,
   UNUSED_ARG(background);
 
   throw runtime_error("Need to re-consider this method.");
-
-  /* Below is the original code to modifying from
-  // 1. Make data ready
-  MantidVec& vecData = m_dataWS->dataY(wsindex);
-  MantidVec& vecFitBkgd = m_outputWS->dataY(CALBKGDINDEX);
-  MantidVec& vecFitBkgdErr = m_outputWS->dataE(CALBKGDINDEX);
-  size_t numpts = vecFitBkgd.size();
-  for (size_t i = 0; i < numpts; ++i)
-  {
-    vecFitBkgd[i] = vecData[i] - peakdata[i];
-    if (vecFitBkgd[i] > 1.0)
-      vecFitBkgdErr[i] = sqrt(vecFitBkgd[i]);
-    else
-      vecFitBkgdErr[i] = 1.0;
-  }
-
-  // 2. Fit
-  Chebyshev_sptr bkgdfunc(new Chebyshev);
-  bkgdfunc->setAttributeValue("n", 6);
-
-  API::IAlgorithm_sptr calalg = this->createChildAlgorithm("Fit", -1.0, -1.0,
-  true);
-  calalg->initialize();
-  calalg->setProperty("Function", boost::shared_ptr<API::IFunction>(bkgdfunc));
-  calalg->setProperty("InputWorkspace", m_outputWS);
-  calalg->setProperty("WorkspaceIndex", CALDATAINDEX);
-  calalg->setProperty("StartX", domain[0]);
-  calalg->setProperty("EndX", domain[numpts-1]);
-  calalg->setProperty("Minimizer", "Levenberg-MarquardtMD");
-  calalg->setProperty("CostFunction", "Least squares");
-  calalg->setProperty("MaxIterations", 1000);
-  calalg->setProperty("CreateOutput", false);
-
-  // 3. Result
-  bool successfulfit = calalg->execute();
-  if (!calalg->isExecuted() || ! successfulfit)
-  {
-    // Early return due to bad fit
-    stringstream errss;
-    errss << "Fit to Chebyshev background failed in
-  smoothBackgroundAnalytical.";
-    g_log.error(errss.str());
-    throw runtime_error(errss.str());
-  }
-
-  double chi2 = calalg->getProperty("OutputChi2overDoF");
-  g_log.information() << "Fit to chebysheve background successful with chi^2 = "
-  << chi2 << "\n";
-
-  // 4. Output
-  FunctionValues values(domain);
-  bkgdfunc->function(domain, values);
-
-  for (size_t i = 0; i < numpts; ++i)
-    background[i] = values[i];
-  */
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -2662,8 +2557,6 @@ void writeRfactorsToFile(vector<double> vecX, vector<Rfactor> vecR,
           << vecR[i].Rp << "\n";
 
   ofile.close();
-
-  return;
 }
 
 } // namespace Algorithms
diff --git a/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Algorithms/LeBailFunction.cpp b/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Algorithms/LeBailFunction.cpp
index 6b12a478ade..2a62b3de622 100644
--- a/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Algorithms/LeBailFunction.cpp
+++ b/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Algorithms/LeBailFunction.cpp
@@ -74,14 +74,12 @@ LeBailFunction::LeBailFunction(std::string peaktype) {
   // Importing peak position tolerance
   m_minTOFPeakCentre = 0;
   m_maxTOFPeakCentre = DBL_MAX;
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 /** Destructor
   */
-LeBailFunction::~LeBailFunction() { return; }
+LeBailFunction::~LeBailFunction() {}
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 /** Return the composite function
@@ -137,8 +135,6 @@ void LeBailFunction::function(std::vector<double> &out,
     for (size_t i = 0; i < numpts; ++i)
       out[i] += values[i];
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /**  Calculate a single peak's value
@@ -156,8 +152,6 @@ void LeBailFunction::calPeak(size_t ipk, std::vector<double> &out,
   ::fill(out.begin(), out.end(), 0.);
   IPowderDiffPeakFunction_sptr peak = m_vecPeaks[ipk];
   peak->function(out, xvalues);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -227,8 +221,6 @@ void LeBailFunction::calculatePeakParameterValues() const {
   }
 
   m_hasNewPeakValue = false;
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -242,8 +234,6 @@ void LeBailFunction::setPeakCentreTolerance(double peakpostol, double tofmin,
   // m_usePeakPosTol = true;
   m_minTOFPeakCentre = tofmin - peakpostol;
   m_maxTOFPeakCentre = tofmax + peakpostol;
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -303,8 +293,6 @@ void LeBailFunction::addPeaks(std::vector<std::vector<int>> peakhkls) {
 
   g_log.information() << "Total " << m_numPeaks << " after trying to add "
                       << peakhkls.size() << " peaks. \n";
-
-  return;
 } // END of addPeaks()
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -736,8 +724,6 @@ void LeBailFunction::setProfileParameterValues(
   // Set the flag to indicate that client has input parameters
   if (m_hasNewPeakValue && !m_isInputValue)
     m_isInputValue = true;
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -852,8 +838,6 @@ void LeBailFunction::groupPeaks(
 
   g_log.debug() << "[Calculate Peak Intensity]:  Number of Peak Groups = "
                 << peakgroupvec.size() << "\n";
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -916,8 +900,6 @@ void LeBailFunction::addBackgroundFunction(
     if (endx > 0.)
       m_background->setAttributeValue("EndX", endx);
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -947,8 +929,6 @@ void LeBailFunction::setFitProfileParameter(string paramname, double minvalue,
   Constraints::BoundaryConstraint *bc = new Constraints::BoundaryConstraint(
       m_compsiteFunction.get(), parnamef0, minvalue, maxvalue);
   m_compsiteFunction->addConstraint(bc);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -977,8 +957,6 @@ void LeBailFunction::fixPeakParameter(string paramname, double paramvalue) {
     --*/
 
   } // For each peak
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -989,8 +967,6 @@ void LeBailFunction::fixBackgroundParameters() {
 
   for (size_t iparam = 0; iparam < numbkgdparams; ++iparam)
     m_background->fix(iparam);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1002,8 +978,6 @@ void LeBailFunction::setFixPeakHeights() {
     IPowderDiffPeakFunction_sptr thispeak = m_dspPeakVec[ipk].second;
     thispeak->fix(0);
   } // For each peak
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Algorithms/PlotPeakByLogValue.cpp b/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Algorithms/PlotPeakByLogValue.cpp
index bd7535cdb1b..d3e2839c300 100644
--- a/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Algorithms/PlotPeakByLogValue.cpp
+++ b/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Algorithms/PlotPeakByLogValue.cpp
@@ -263,7 +263,7 @@ void PlotPeakByLogValue::exec() {
         g_log.debug() << ifun->asString() << '\n';
 
         const std::string spectrum_index = std::to_string(j);
-        std::string wsBaseName = "";
+        std::string wsBaseName;
 
         if (createFitOutput)
           wsBaseName = wsNames[i].name + "_" + spectrum_index;
diff --git a/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Algorithms/RefinePowderInstrumentParameters.cpp b/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Algorithms/RefinePowderInstrumentParameters.cpp
index 38e5e63d25d..9243025db26 100644
--- a/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Algorithms/RefinePowderInstrumentParameters.cpp
+++ b/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Algorithms/RefinePowderInstrumentParameters.cpp
@@ -126,8 +126,6 @@ void RefinePowderInstrumentParameters::init() {
 
   declareProperty("MonteCarloRandomSeed", 0,
                   "Random seed for Monte Carlo simulation. ");
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -211,8 +209,6 @@ void RefinePowderInstrumentParameters::exec() {
   DataObjects::TableWorkspace_sptr fitparamws =
       genOutputInstrumentParameterTable();
   this->setProperty("OutputInstrumentParameterWorkspace", fitparamws);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //------- Related to Fitting Instrument Geometry Function  -------------------
@@ -370,8 +366,6 @@ void RefinePowderInstrumentParameters::fitInstrumentParameters() {
         << setw(20) << zdiffy << setw(20) << diffy << '\n';
   }
   cout << "Zscore Survey: \b" << zss.str();
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Fit function to data
@@ -516,8 +510,6 @@ void RefinePowderInstrumentParameters::refineInstrumentParametersMC(
       newN[j] = vec_n[j];
     }
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Core Monte Carlo random walk on parameter-space
@@ -778,8 +770,6 @@ void RefinePowderInstrumentParameters::doParameterSpaceRandomWalk(
              << ", GSL Chi^2 = " << m_BestFitChi2s[i].second << '\n';
   }
   g_log.notice() << mcresult.str();
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Get the names of the parameters of D-TOF conversion function
@@ -798,8 +788,6 @@ void RefinePowderInstrumentParameters::getD2TOFFuncParamNames(
 
   // 3. Copy
   parnames = funparamnames;
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Calcualte the function
@@ -934,8 +922,6 @@ void RefinePowderInstrumentParameters::genPeaksFromTable(
                         << newpeak.centre() << '\n';
 
   } // ENDFOR Each potential peak
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Import TableWorkspace containing the instrument parameters for fitting
@@ -979,8 +965,6 @@ void RefinePowderInstrumentParameters::importParametersFromTable(
       throw;
     }
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Import the Monte Carlo related parameters from table
@@ -1076,8 +1060,6 @@ void RefinePowderInstrumentParameters::importMonteCarloParametersFromTable(
     upperbounds.push_back(mcparvalues[1]);
     stepsizes.push_back(mcparvalues[2]);
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Calculate thermal neutron's d-spacing
@@ -1114,8 +1096,6 @@ void RefinePowderInstrumentParameters::calculateThermalNeutronSpecial(
     double n = 0.5 * gsl_sf_erfc(width * (tcross - 1 / dh));
     vec_n.push_back(n);
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //------- Related to Algorith's Output
@@ -1214,8 +1194,6 @@ void RefinePowderInstrumentParameters::genPeakCentersWorkspace(
     m_dataWS->dataY(0)[i] = peakcenters[i].second.first;
     m_dataWS->dataE(0)[i] = peakcenters[i].second.second;
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Generate a Monte Carlo result table containing the N best results
diff --git a/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Algorithms/RefinePowderInstrumentParameters3.cpp b/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Algorithms/RefinePowderInstrumentParameters3.cpp
index 975aa1f5089..92a3e59b6fe 100644
--- a/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Algorithms/RefinePowderInstrumentParameters3.cpp
+++ b/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Algorithms/RefinePowderInstrumentParameters3.cpp
@@ -100,8 +100,6 @@ void RefinePowderInstrumentParameters3::init() {
 
   // Output
   declareProperty("ChiSquare", DBL_MAX, Direction::Output);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -162,8 +160,6 @@ void RefinePowderInstrumentParameters3::exec() {
   setProperty("OutputPeakPositionWorkspace", outdataws);
 
   setProperty("ChiSquare", finalchi2);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -213,8 +209,6 @@ void RefinePowderInstrumentParameters3::processInputProperties() {
   m_randomSeed = getProperty("MonteCarloRandomSeed");
 
   m_dampingFactor = getProperty("Damping");
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -289,8 +283,6 @@ void RefinePowderInstrumentParameters3::parseTableWorkspace(
 
     parammap.emplace(parname, newpar);
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -607,8 +599,6 @@ void RefinePowderInstrumentParameters3::proposeNewValues(
                   << " (orig = " << param.curvalue << ",  step = " << stepsize
                   << "), totRwp = " << currchisq << '\n';
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -679,8 +669,6 @@ void RefinePowderInstrumentParameters3::bookKeepMCResult(
     sort(bestresults.begin(), bestresults.end());
   }
   */
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -749,8 +737,6 @@ void RefinePowderInstrumentParameters3::setupRandomWalkStrategy(
     mapiter->second.numnomove = 0;
     mapiter->second.maxabsstepsize = -0.0;
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -777,8 +763,6 @@ void RefinePowderInstrumentParameters3::addParameterToMCMinimize(
 
   if (pariter->second.fit)
     parnamesforMC.push_back(parname);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1097,8 +1081,6 @@ void RefinePowderInstrumentParameters3::addOrReplace(
     newparameter.curvalue = parvalue;
     parameters.emplace(parname, newparameter);
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1187,8 +1169,6 @@ void RefinePowderInstrumentParameters3::setFunctionParameterValues(
   } // ENDFOR parameter name
 
   g_log.information(msgss.str());
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Update parameter values to Parameter map from fuction map
@@ -1274,8 +1254,6 @@ void RefinePowderInstrumentParameters3::setFunctionParameterFitSetups(
   } // ENDFOR parameter name
 
   g_log.notice() << "Fit function:\n" << function->asString() << "\n";
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //================================= External Functions
@@ -1298,8 +1276,6 @@ void duplicateParameters(map<string, Parameter> source,
     newparam = param;
     target.emplace(parname, newparam);
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1328,8 +1304,6 @@ void copyParametersValues(map<string, Parameter> source,
 
     titer->second.curvalue = paramvalue;
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1340,8 +1314,6 @@ void convertToDict(vector<string> strvec, map<string, size_t> &lookupdict) {
 
   for (size_t i = 0; i < strvec.size(); ++i)
     lookupdict.emplace(strvec[i], i);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1378,8 +1350,6 @@ void storeFunctionParameterValue(
     double parerror = function->getError(i);
     parvaluemap.emplace(parname, make_pair(parvalue, parerror));
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1412,8 +1382,6 @@ void restoreFunctionParameterValue(
       }
     }
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 } // namespace Algorithms
diff --git a/Framework/CurveFitting/src/AugmentedLagrangianOptimizer.cpp b/Framework/CurveFitting/src/AugmentedLagrangianOptimizer.cpp
index e8a014743d7..b4c421b85f2 100644
--- a/Framework/CurveFitting/src/AugmentedLagrangianOptimizer.cpp
+++ b/Framework/CurveFitting/src/AugmentedLagrangianOptimizer.cpp
@@ -370,7 +370,7 @@ void AugmentedLagrangianOptimizer::checkConstraints(
   // Sanity checks on matrix sizes
   for (size_t i = 0; i < 2; ++i) {
     size_t ncols(0);
-    std::string matrix("");
+    std::string matrix;
     if (i == 0) {
       ncols = equality.numCols();
       matrix = "equality";
diff --git a/Framework/CurveFitting/src/CostFunctions/CostFuncLeastSquares.cpp b/Framework/CurveFitting/src/CostFunctions/CostFuncLeastSquares.cpp
index 300d1b9a201..71c2cf69688 100644
--- a/Framework/CurveFitting/src/CostFunctions/CostFuncLeastSquares.cpp
+++ b/Framework/CurveFitting/src/CostFunctions/CostFuncLeastSquares.cpp
@@ -89,8 +89,6 @@ void CostFuncLeastSquares::addVal(API::FunctionDomain_sptr domain,
 
   PARALLEL_ATOMIC
   m_value += m_factor * retVal;
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Calculate the derivatives of the cost function
diff --git a/Framework/CurveFitting/src/FuncMinimizers/FABADAMinimizer.cpp b/Framework/CurveFitting/src/FuncMinimizers/FABADAMinimizer.cpp
index 0d663f50cc7..9bff4029f10 100644
--- a/Framework/CurveFitting/src/FuncMinimizers/FABADAMinimizer.cpp
+++ b/Framework/CurveFitting/src/FuncMinimizers/FABADAMinimizer.cpp
@@ -360,7 +360,7 @@ bool FABADAMinimizer::iterate(size_t) {
     // convergenceMaxIterations iterations, stop and throw the error.
     else {
       API::IFunction_sptr fun = m_leastSquares->getFittingFunction();
-      std::string failed = "";
+      std::string failed;
       for (size_t i = 0; i < nParams; ++i) {
         if (!m_par_converged[i]) {
           failed = failed + fun->parameterName(i) + ", ";
diff --git a/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Functions/Bk2BkExpConvPV.cpp b/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Functions/Bk2BkExpConvPV.cpp
index 4b8f999f8b3..08a5ff8c43e 100644
--- a/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Functions/Bk2BkExpConvPV.cpp
+++ b/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Functions/Bk2BkExpConvPV.cpp
@@ -38,16 +38,12 @@ void Bk2BkExpConvPV::init() {
   declareParameter("Beta", 1.0);
   declareParameter("Sigma2", 1.0);
   declareParameter("Gamma", 0.0);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Set peak height
   */
 void Bk2BkExpConvPV::setHeight(const double h) {
   setParameter("Height", h);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Get peak height
@@ -121,8 +117,6 @@ void Bk2BkExpConvPV::functionLocal(double *out, const double *xValues,
         calOmega(dT, eta, N, alpha, beta, H, sigma2, invert_sqrt2sigma);
     out[id] = height * omega;
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Local derivative
@@ -219,8 +213,6 @@ std::complex<double> Bk2BkExpConvPV::E1(std::complex<double> z) const {
 void Bk2BkExpConvPV::geneatePeak(double *out, const double *xValues,
                                  const size_t nData) {
   this->functionLocal(out, xValues, nData);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 void Bk2BkExpConvPV::calHandEta(double sigma2, double gamma, double &H,
@@ -247,8 +239,6 @@ void Bk2BkExpConvPV::calHandEta(double sigma2, double gamma, double &H,
     g_log.error() << "Bk2BkExpConvPV: Calculated eta = " << eta
                   << " is out of range [0, 1].\n";
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 } // namespace Mantid
diff --git a/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Functions/FullprofPolynomial.cpp b/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Functions/FullprofPolynomial.cpp
index 2ae4489c9c0..57c4fe7f40d 100644
--- a/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Functions/FullprofPolynomial.cpp
+++ b/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Functions/FullprofPolynomial.cpp
@@ -54,8 +54,6 @@ void FullprofPolynomial::function1D(double *out, const double *xValues,
 
     out[i] = y_b;
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -78,8 +76,6 @@ void FullprofPolynomial::functionDeriv1D(API::Jacobian *out,
       out->set(i, j, pow_x);
     }
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -138,8 +134,6 @@ void FullprofPolynomial::setAttribute(const std::string &attName,
     // Background original position
     m_bkpos = att.asDouble();
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Functions/NeutronBk2BkExpConvPVoigt.cpp b/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Functions/NeutronBk2BkExpConvPVoigt.cpp
index 18676157c9c..fa75b017f49 100644
--- a/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Functions/NeutronBk2BkExpConvPVoigt.cpp
+++ b/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Functions/NeutronBk2BkExpConvPVoigt.cpp
@@ -102,8 +102,6 @@ void NeutronBk2BkExpConvPVoigt::init() {
 
   // Set flag
   m_cellParamValueChanged = true;
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -266,8 +264,6 @@ void NeutronBk2BkExpConvPVoigt::calculateParameters(bool explicitoutput) const {
 
   // Reset the flag
   m_hasNewParameterValue = false;
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -289,8 +285,6 @@ void NeutronBk2BkExpConvPVoigt::setParameter(size_t i, const double &value,
     ParamFunction::setParameter(i, value, explicitlySet);
     m_hasNewParameterValue = true;
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -312,8 +306,6 @@ void NeutronBk2BkExpConvPVoigt::setParameter(const std::string &name,
     ParamFunction::setParameter(name, value, explicitlySet);
     m_hasNewParameterValue = true;
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -351,8 +343,6 @@ void NeutronBk2BkExpConvPVoigt::function(vector<double> &out,
                                  m_fwhm, m_Sigma2, INVERT_SQRT2SIGMA);
     pos++;
   } // ENDFOR data points
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -388,8 +378,6 @@ void NeutronBk2BkExpConvPVoigt::function1D(double *out, const double *xValues,
                     << ".\n";
     }
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -419,8 +407,6 @@ void NeutronBk2BkExpConvPVoigt::calHandEta(double sigma2, double gamma,
   } else {
     g_log.debug() << "[DBx121] Eta = " << eta << "; Gamma = " << gamma << ".\n";
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Functions/Polynomial.cpp b/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Functions/Polynomial.cpp
index 862be38c233..12d24291a5e 100644
--- a/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Functions/Polynomial.cpp
+++ b/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Functions/Polynomial.cpp
@@ -42,8 +42,6 @@ void Polynomial::function1D(double *out, const double *xValues,
     }
     out[i] = temp;
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -91,8 +89,6 @@ void Polynomial::functionDeriv1D(API::Jacobian *out, const double *xValues,
       nx *= x;
     }
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Functions/ProcessBackground.cpp b/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Functions/ProcessBackground.cpp
index f2baf0a9548..6596651b122 100644
--- a/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Functions/ProcessBackground.cpp
+++ b/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Functions/ProcessBackground.cpp
@@ -223,8 +223,6 @@ void ProcessBackground::init() {
   setPropertySettings("NumberOfFWHM",
                       Kernel::make_unique<VisibleWhenProperty>(
                           "Options", IS_EQUAL_TO, "RemovePeaks"));
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -273,8 +271,6 @@ void ProcessBackground::exec() {
 
   // 3. Set output
   setProperty("OutputWorkspace", m_outputWS);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -290,8 +286,6 @@ void ProcessBackground::setupDummyOutputWSes() {
   setPropertyValue("OutputBackgroundParameterWorkspace", "dummy1");
   TableWorkspace_sptr dummytbws = boost::make_shared<TableWorkspace>();
   setProperty("OutputBackgroundParameterWorkspace", dummytbws);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -348,8 +342,6 @@ void ProcessBackground::deleteRegion() {
 
   // Set up dummies
   setupDummyOutputWSes();
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -446,8 +438,6 @@ void ProcessBackground::addRegion() {
 
   // Write out dummy output workspaces
   setupDummyOutputWSes();
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -482,8 +472,6 @@ void ProcessBackground::selectBkgdPoints() {
   }
 
   m_outputWS->getAxis(0)->setUnit(m_dataWS->getAxis(0)->unit()->unitID());
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -557,8 +545,6 @@ void ProcessBackground::selectFromGivenXValues() {
     g_log.error(errss.str());
     throw runtime_error(errss.str());
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -592,8 +578,6 @@ void ProcessBackground::selectFromGivenFunction() {
 
   // Filter out
   m_outputWS = filterForBackground(bkgdfunc);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -877,8 +861,6 @@ void ProcessBackground::fitBackgroundFunction(std::string bkgdfunctiontype) {
     dataModel[i] = values[i];
     dataDiff[i] = vecY[i] - dataModel[i];
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -906,8 +888,6 @@ void ProcessBackground::removePeaks() {
 
   // Dummy outputs
   setupDummyOutputWSes();
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -923,8 +903,6 @@ void RemovePeaks::setup(TableWorkspace_sptr peaktablews) {
   else if (m_vecPeakCentre.empty())
     throw runtime_error(
         "There is not any peak entry in input table workspace.");
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1018,8 +996,6 @@ void RemovePeaks::parsePeakTableWorkspace(TableWorkspace_sptr peaktablews,
     vec_peakcentre[i] = centre;
     vec_peakfwhm[i] = fwhm;
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Functions/ReflectivityMulf.cpp b/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Functions/ReflectivityMulf.cpp
index 478868b391d..d28139d4ee7 100644
--- a/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Functions/ReflectivityMulf.cpp
+++ b/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Functions/ReflectivityMulf.cpp
@@ -33,7 +33,6 @@ void ReflectivityMulf::init() {
   declareParameter("Roughness", 2.5);
   declareParameter("BackGround", 1.0e-6);
   declareParameter("Resolution", 5.0);
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -223,8 +222,6 @@ void ReflectivityMulf::function1D(double *out, const double *xValues,
     // g_log.information() << "cy[j]" << cy[j] << "\n";
   }
   // End of parallelized section
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Functions/ThermalNeutronBk2BkExpAlpha.cpp b/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Functions/ThermalNeutronBk2BkExpAlpha.cpp
index 5c998a38245..544dffc6524 100644
--- a/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Functions/ThermalNeutronBk2BkExpAlpha.cpp
+++ b/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Functions/ThermalNeutronBk2BkExpAlpha.cpp
@@ -51,8 +51,6 @@ void ThermalNeutronBk2BkExpAlpha::function1D(double *out, const double *xValues,
     out[i] =
         corefunction(xValues[i], width, tcross, alph0, alph1, alph0t, alph1t);
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Derivative: use numerical derivative
diff --git a/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Functions/ThermalNeutronBk2BkExpBeta.cpp b/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Functions/ThermalNeutronBk2BkExpBeta.cpp
index cc9e3488fdb..24f9b158396 100644
--- a/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Functions/ThermalNeutronBk2BkExpBeta.cpp
+++ b/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Functions/ThermalNeutronBk2BkExpBeta.cpp
@@ -50,8 +50,6 @@ void ThermalNeutronBk2BkExpBeta::function1D(double *out, const double *xValues,
     out[i] =
         corefunction(xValues[i], width, tcross, beta0, beta1, beta0t, beta1t);
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Derivative: use numerical derivative
diff --git a/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Functions/ThermalNeutronBk2BkExpConvPVoigt.cpp b/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Functions/ThermalNeutronBk2BkExpConvPVoigt.cpp
index d287e5b9dae..37c3a671e6e 100644
--- a/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Functions/ThermalNeutronBk2BkExpConvPVoigt.cpp
+++ b/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Functions/ThermalNeutronBk2BkExpConvPVoigt.cpp
@@ -121,8 +121,6 @@ void ThermalNeutronBk2BkExpConvPVoigt::init() {
 
   // Set flag
   m_cellParamValueChanged = true;
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //------------- Public Functions (Overwrite) Set/Get
@@ -333,8 +331,6 @@ void ThermalNeutronBk2BkExpConvPVoigt::calculateParameters(
 
   // Reset the flag
   m_hasNewParameterValue = false;
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //------------- Private Functions (Overwrite) Calculation
@@ -405,8 +401,6 @@ void ThermalNeutronBk2BkExpConvPVoigt::functionLocal(double *out,
     // PARALLEL_END_INTERUPT_REGION
   } // ENDFOR data points
   // PARALLEL_CHECK_INTERUPT_REGION
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -445,8 +439,6 @@ void ThermalNeutronBk2BkExpConvPVoigt::function(
                                  m_fwhm, m_Sigma2, INVERT_SQRT2SIGMA);
     pos++;
   } // ENDFOR data points
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -533,8 +525,6 @@ void ThermalNeutronBk2BkExpConvPVoigt::calHandEta(double sigma2, double gamma,
     g_log.warning() << "Calculated eta = " << eta
                     << " is out of range [0, 1].\n";
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -613,8 +603,6 @@ void ThermalNeutronBk2BkExpConvPVoigt::setParameter(size_t i,
     ParamFunction::setParameter(i, value, explicitlySet);
     m_hasNewParameterValue = true;
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -636,8 +624,6 @@ void ThermalNeutronBk2BkExpConvPVoigt::setParameter(const std::string &name,
     ParamFunction::setParameter(name, value, explicitlySet);
     m_hasNewParameterValue = true;
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -751,8 +737,6 @@ void ThermalNeutronBk2BkExpConvPVoigt::function1D(double *out,
   if (i0 < 0 || n == 0)
     return;
   this->functionLocal(out + i0, xValues + i0, n);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /// Default value for the peak radius
diff --git a/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Functions/ThermalNeutronBk2BkExpSigma.cpp b/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Functions/ThermalNeutronBk2BkExpSigma.cpp
index 5b8a59e5357..0fb9cfe250d 100644
--- a/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Functions/ThermalNeutronBk2BkExpSigma.cpp
+++ b/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Functions/ThermalNeutronBk2BkExpSigma.cpp
@@ -46,8 +46,6 @@ void ThermalNeutronBk2BkExpSigma::function1D(double *out, const double *xValues,
   for (size_t i = 0; i < nData; ++i) {
     out[i] = corefunction(xValues[i], sig0sq, sig1sq, sig2sq);
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Derivative: use numerical derivative
diff --git a/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Functions/ThermalNeutronDtoTOFFunction.cpp b/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Functions/ThermalNeutronDtoTOFFunction.cpp
index 8e96a2d6d48..a0cef4b30d8 100644
--- a/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Functions/ThermalNeutronDtoTOFFunction.cpp
+++ b/Framework/CurveFitting/src/Functions/ThermalNeutronDtoTOFFunction.cpp
@@ -54,8 +54,6 @@ void ThermalNeutronDtoTOFFunction::function1D(double *out,
     out[i] = calThermalNeutronTOF(xValues[i], dtt1, dtt1t, dtt2t, zero, zerot,
                                   width, tcross);
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -78,8 +76,6 @@ void ThermalNeutronDtoTOFFunction::function1D(
     out[i] = calThermalNeutronTOF(xValues[i], dtt1, dtt1t, dtt2t, zero, zerot,
                                   width, tcross);
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 void ThermalNeutronDtoTOFFunction::functionDeriv1D(Jacobian *out,
@@ -120,8 +116,6 @@ void ThermalNeutronDtoTOFFunction::functionDeriv1D(Jacobian *out,
     out->set(i, 5, deriv_width);
     out->set(i, 6, deriv_tcross);
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Some forbidden function
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/inc/MantidDataHandling/LoadEventNexus.h b/Framework/DataHandling/inc/MantidDataHandling/LoadEventNexus.h
index 4a99855d1c6..8512e0d911e 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/inc/MantidDataHandling/LoadEventNexus.h
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/inc/MantidDataHandling/LoadEventNexus.h
@@ -326,7 +326,7 @@ bool LoadEventNexus::runLoadInstrument(const std::string &nexusfilename,
                                        T localWorkspace,
                                        const std::string &top_entry_name,
                                        Algorithm *alg) {
-  std::string instrument = "";
+  std::string instrument;
 
   // Get the instrument name
   ::NeXus::File nxfile(nexusfilename);
@@ -476,7 +476,7 @@ void LoadEventNexus::loadEntryMetadata(const std::string &nexusfilename, T WS,
 
   // Get the run number
   file.openData("run_number");
-  std::string run("");
+  std::string run;
   if (file.getInfo().type == ::NeXus::CHAR) {
     run = file.getStrData();
   } else if (file.isDataInt()) {
@@ -494,7 +494,7 @@ void LoadEventNexus::loadEntryMetadata(const std::string &nexusfilename, T WS,
   // get the experiment identifier
   try {
     file.openData("experiment_identifier");
-    std::string expId("");
+    std::string expId;
     if (file.getInfo().type == ::NeXus::CHAR) {
       expId = file.getStrData();
     }
@@ -510,7 +510,7 @@ void LoadEventNexus::loadEntryMetadata(const std::string &nexusfilename, T WS,
   try {
     file.openGroup("sample", "NXsample");
     file.openData("name");
-    std::string name("");
+    std::string name;
     if (file.getInfo().type == ::NeXus::CHAR) {
       name = file.getStrData();
     }
@@ -531,7 +531,7 @@ void LoadEventNexus::loadEntryMetadata(const std::string &nexusfilename, T WS,
     // get the units
     // clang-format off
     std::vector< ::NeXus::AttrInfo> infos = file.getAttrInfos();
-    std::string units("");
+    std::string units;
     for (std::vector< ::NeXus::AttrInfo>::const_iterator it = infos.begin();
          it != infos.end(); ++it) {
       if (it->name.compare("units") == 0) {
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/CheckMantidVersion.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/CheckMantidVersion.cpp
index c944c86d8c6..bdfb17058b3 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/CheckMantidVersion.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/CheckMantidVersion.cpp
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ void CheckMantidVersion::init() {
 void CheckMantidVersion::exec() {
   std::string currentVersion = getCurrentVersion();
   setProperty("CurrentVersion", currentVersion);
-  std::string mostRecentVersion = "";
+  std::string mostRecentVersion;
 
   std::string gitHubReleaseUrl = ConfigService::Instance().getString(
       "CheckMantidVersion.GitHubReleaseURL");
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ void CheckMantidVersion::exec() {
     downloadUrl = "http://download.mantidproject.org";
   }
 
-  std::string json = "";
+  std::string json;
   try {
     json = getVersionsFromGitHub(gitHubReleaseUrl);
   } catch (Exception::InternetError &ex) {
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/FilterEventsByLogValuePreNexus.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/FilterEventsByLogValuePreNexus.cpp
index c578e914b8f..5158ad9f9bd 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/FilterEventsByLogValuePreNexus.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/FilterEventsByLogValuePreNexus.cpp
@@ -340,8 +340,6 @@ void FilterEventsByLogValuePreNexus::init() {
 
   declareProperty("DBPixelID", EMPTY_INT(),
                   "ID of the pixel (detector) for debug output. ");
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -423,8 +421,6 @@ void FilterEventsByLogValuePreNexus::exec() {
 
   // -1. Cleanup
   delete m_prog;
-
-  return;
 } // exec()
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -529,8 +525,6 @@ void FilterEventsByLogValuePreNexus::processProperties() {
   }
 
   m_corretctTOF = getProperty("CorrectTOFtoSample");
-
-  return;
 } // END of processProperties
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -653,8 +647,6 @@ void FilterEventsByLogValuePreNexus::processEventLogs() {
     setProperty("EventLogTableWorkspace",
                 boost::dynamic_pointer_cast<ITableWorkspace>(evtablews));
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -687,8 +679,6 @@ void FilterEventsByLogValuePreNexus::addToWorkspaceLog(std::string logtitle,
   g_log.information() << "Size of Property " << property->name() << " = "
                       << property->size() << " vs Original Log Size = " << nbins
                       << "\n";
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -754,8 +744,6 @@ void FilterEventsByLogValuePreNexus::doStatToEventLog(size_t mindex) {
 
   g_log.information() << "Number of zero-interval eveng log = " << numzeros
                       << "\n";
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1099,8 +1087,6 @@ void FilterEventsByLogValuePreNexus::procEvents(
       g_log.notice() << "Pixel " << tmpid << ":  Total number of events = "
                      << this->wrongdetid_pulsetimes[vindex].size() << '\n';
     }
-
-    return;
 } // End of procEvents
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1382,8 +1368,6 @@ void FilterEventsByLogValuePreNexus::procEventsLinear(
                    << " bad event indexes"
                    << "\n";
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1469,8 +1453,6 @@ void FilterEventsByLogValuePreNexus::unmaskVetoEventIndexes() {
     g_log.notice() << "Number of veto pulses = " << numveto
                    << ", Number of error-event-index pulses = " << numerror
                    << "\n";
-
-    return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1724,8 +1706,6 @@ void FilterEventsByLogValuePreNexus::filterEvents() {
       g_log.notice() << "Pixel " << tmpid << ":  Total number of events = "
                      << this->wrongdetid_pulsetimes[vindex].size() << '\n';
     }
-
-    return;
 } // End of filterEvents
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -2137,8 +2117,6 @@ void FilterEventsByLogValuePreNexus::filterEventsLinear(
 
   g_log.notice() << "Encountered " << numbadeventindex << " bad event indexes"
                  << "\n";
-
-  return;
 } // FilterEventsLinearly
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -2208,8 +2186,6 @@ void FilterEventsByLogValuePreNexus::setupPixelSpectrumMap(
       spec.setSpectrumNo(specnum_t(workspaceIndex + 1));
     }
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -2283,8 +2259,6 @@ void FilterEventsByLogValuePreNexus::setProtonCharge(
   double integ = run.getProtonCharge();
   this->g_log.information() << "Total proton charge of " << integ
                             << " microAmp*hours found by integrating.\n";
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -2327,8 +2301,6 @@ void FilterEventsByLogValuePreNexus::loadPixelMap(const std::string &filename) {
   // Let's assume that the # of pixels in the instrument matches the mapping
   // file length.
   this->m_numPixel = static_cast<uint32_t>(pixelmapFile.getNumElements());
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/GroupDetectors2.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/GroupDetectors2.cpp
index 194a92f0800..a28e54c09a9 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/GroupDetectors2.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/GroupDetectors2.cpp
@@ -477,7 +477,6 @@ void GroupDetectors2::processFile(std::string fname,
   g_log.debug() << "Closed file " << fname << " after reading in "
                 << m_GroupWsInds.size() << " groups\n";
   m_FracCompl += fileReadProg(m_GroupWsInds.size(), specs2index.size());
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Get groupings from XML file
@@ -569,8 +568,6 @@ void GroupDetectors2::processXMLFile(std::string fname,
       }
     } // for index
   }   // for group
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Get groupings from groupingworkspace
@@ -639,8 +636,6 @@ void GroupDetectors2::processGroupingWorkspace(
     m_GroupWsInds.insert(
         std::make_pair(static_cast<specnum_t>(groupid), tempv));
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Get groupings from a matrix workspace
@@ -708,8 +703,6 @@ void GroupDetectors2::processMatrixWorkspace(
           std::make_pair(static_cast<specnum_t>(groupid), tempv));
     }
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 /** The function expects that the string passed to it contains an integer
 * number,
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/Load.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/Load.cpp
index f5cdab395ec..aca068f9239 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/Load.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/Load.cpp
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ bool isSingleFile(const std::vector<std::vector<std::string>> &fileNames) {
  *names.
  */
 std::string generateWsNameFromFileNames(std::vector<std::string> filenames) {
-  std::string wsName("");
+  std::string wsName;
 
   for (auto &filename : filenames) {
     if (!wsName.empty())
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadCanSAS1D.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadCanSAS1D.cpp
index 46f601f84d9..4982a61f149 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadCanSAS1D.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadCanSAS1D.cpp
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ LoadCanSAS1D::loadEntry(Poco::XML::Node *const workspaceData,
   MantidVec &E = dataWS->dataE(0);
   MantidVec &Dx = dataWS->dataDx(0);
   int vecindex = 0;
-  std::string yUnit = "";
+  std::string yUnit;
   bool isCommon = true;
   // iterate through each Idata element  and get the values of "Q",
   //"I" and "Idev" text nodes and fill X,Y,E vectors
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadDetectorsGroupingFile.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadDetectorsGroupingFile.cpp
index 60c2fafbec6..b465d0ff9ed 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadDetectorsGroupingFile.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadDetectorsGroupingFile.cpp
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ void LoadDetectorsGroupingFile::exec() {
     if (loader.isGivenInstrumentName()) {
       const std::string instrumentName = loader.getInstrumentName();
 
-      std::string date("");
+      std::string date;
 
       if (loader.isGivenDate())
         date = loader.getDate();
@@ -240,8 +240,6 @@ void LoadDetectorsGroupingFile::setByComponents() {
     }   // ENDFOR (component)
 
   } // ENDFOR GroupID
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /* Set workspace->group ID map by detectors (range)
@@ -287,8 +285,6 @@ void LoadDetectorsGroupingFile::setByDetectors() {
       }
     } // ENDFOR detid (in range)
   }   // ENDFOR each group ID
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /*
@@ -327,8 +323,6 @@ void LoadDetectorsGroupingFile::setBySpectrumNos() {
       }   // IF-ELSE: spectrum No has an entry
     }     // FOR: each spectrum No
   }       // FOR: each group ID
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /* Initialize a GroupingWorkspace
@@ -344,8 +338,6 @@ void LoadDetectorsGroupingFile::intializeGroupingWorkspace() {
     // 1b. Create GroupingWorkspace w/o instrument
     generateNoInstrumentGroupWorkspace();
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /*
@@ -379,8 +371,6 @@ void LoadDetectorsGroupingFile::generateNoInstrumentGroupWorkspace() {
   for (size_t i = 0; i < m_groupWS->getNumberHistograms(); i++) {
     m_groupWS->getSpectrum(i).setSpectrumNo(specids[i]);
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /*
@@ -397,8 +387,6 @@ void LoadGroupXMLFile::loadXMLFile(std::string xmlfilename) {
 
   this->initializeXMLParser(xmlfilename);
   this->parseXML();
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /*
@@ -587,8 +575,6 @@ void LoadGroupXMLFile::parseXML() {
     pNode = it.nextNode();
 
   } // ENDWHILE
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /*
@@ -600,7 +586,7 @@ std::string LoadGroupXMLFile::getAttributeValueByName(Poco::XML::Node *pNode,
   // 1. Init
   Poco::AutoPtr<Poco::XML::NamedNodeMap> att = pNode->attributes();
   found = false;
-  std::string value = "";
+  std::string value;
 
   // 2. Loop to find
   for (unsigned long i = 0; i < att->length(); ++i) {
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadEventNexus.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadEventNexus.cpp
index ad8c9129cb8..3d631586ff0 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadEventNexus.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadEventNexus.cpp
@@ -502,7 +502,7 @@ public:
       thisBankPulseTimes = alg->m_allBanksPulseTimes;
       return;
     }
-    std::string thisStartTime = "";
+    std::string thisStartTime;
     size_t thisNumPulses = 0;
     file.getAttr("offset", thisStartTime);
     if (!file.getInfo().dims.empty())
@@ -555,8 +555,6 @@ public:
         alg->getLogger().debug() << "Bank " << entry_name << " is empty.\n";
       }
     }
-
-    return;
   }
 
   //---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -626,8 +624,6 @@ public:
 
     alg->getLogger().debug() << entry_name << ": start_event " << start_event
                              << " stop_event " << stop_event << "\n";
-
-    return;
   }
 
   //---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -685,8 +681,6 @@ public:
       if (m_max_id > static_cast<uint32_t>(alg->eventid_max))
         m_max_id = static_cast<uint32_t>(alg->eventid_max);
     }
-
-    return;
   }
 
   //---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -735,8 +729,6 @@ public:
       }
       file.closeData();
     } // no error
-
-    return;
   }
 
   //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -781,8 +773,6 @@ public:
     if (!m_loadError) {
       file.closeData();
     }
-
-    return;
   }
 
   //---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1387,8 +1377,6 @@ void LoadEventNexus::exec() {
       this->runLoadMonitors();
     }
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1819,8 +1807,6 @@ void LoadEventNexus::loadEvents(API::Progress *const prog,
     m_ws->setAllX(axis);
 
     createWorkspaceIndexMaps(monitors, std::vector<std::string>());
-
-    return;
   }
 
   // --------- Loading only one bank ? ----------------------------------
@@ -2068,7 +2054,7 @@ bool LoadEventNexus::runLoadIDFFromNexus<EventWorkspaceCollection_sptr>(
 */
 std::string
 LoadEventNexus::readInstrumentFromISIS_VMSCompat(::NeXus::File &hFile) {
-  std::string instrumentName("");
+  std::string instrumentName;
   try {
     hFile.openGroup("isis_vms_compat", "IXvms");
   } catch (std::runtime_error &) {
@@ -2199,7 +2185,6 @@ void LoadEventNexus::deleteBanks(EventWorkspaceCollection_sptr workspace,
       inst->remove(comp);
     }
   }
-  return;
 }
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 /**
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadEventPreNexus2.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadEventPreNexus2.cpp
index 12da0954c4c..6d9537e3607 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadEventPreNexus2.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadEventPreNexus2.cpp
@@ -319,8 +319,6 @@ void LoadEventPreNexus2::init() {
   setPropertyGroup("DBOutputBlockNumber", dbgrp);
   setPropertyGroup("DBNumberOutputEvents", dbgrp);
   setPropertyGroup("DBNumberOutputPulses", dbgrp);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -396,8 +394,6 @@ void LoadEventPreNexus2::exec() {
 
   // Cleanup
   delete prog;
-
-  return;
 } // exec()
 
 //------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -447,8 +443,6 @@ void LoadEventPreNexus2::createOutputWorkspace(
                                 << "\"\n";
   }
   this->loadPixelMap(mapping_filename);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -478,8 +472,6 @@ void LoadEventPreNexus2::unmaskVetoEventIndex() {
     PARALLEL_END_INTERUPT_REGION
   }
   PARALLEL_CHECK_INTERUPT_REGION
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -553,8 +545,6 @@ void LoadEventPreNexus2::processImbedLogs() {
     g_log.notice() << "Processed imbedded log " << logname << "\n";
 
   } // ENDFOR pit
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -586,8 +576,6 @@ void LoadEventPreNexus2::addToWorkspaceLog(std::string logtitle,
   g_log.information() << "Size of Property " << property->name() << " = "
                       << property->size() << " vs Original Log Size = " << nbins
                       << "\n";
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -950,9 +938,6 @@ void LoadEventPreNexus2::procEvents(
       g_log.notice() << "Pixel " << tmpid << ":  Total number of events = "
                      << this->wrongdetid_pulsetimes[vindex].size() << '\n';
     }
-
-    return;
-
 } // End of procEvents
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1175,8 +1160,6 @@ void LoadEventPreNexus2::procEventsLinear(
     if (local_longest_tof > longest_tof)
       longest_tof = local_longest_tof;
   } // END_CRITICAL
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1218,8 +1201,6 @@ void LoadEventPreNexus2::setProtonCharge(
 
   g_log.information() << "Total proton charge of " << integ
                       << " microAmp*hours found by integrating.\n";
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1290,8 +1271,6 @@ void LoadEventPreNexus2::openEventFile(const std::string &filename) {
   }
 
   g_log.information() << "Reading " << max_events << " event records\n";
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1391,8 +1370,6 @@ void LoadEventPreNexus2::processInvestigationInputs() {
     m_dbOpNumPulses = static_cast<size_t>(dbnumpulses);
   else
     m_dbOpNumPulses = 0;
-
-  return;
 }
 
 } // namespace DataHandling
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadFITS.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadFITS.cpp
index 4e5681435da..32edc9c0246 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadFITS.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadFITS.cpp
@@ -1197,7 +1197,7 @@ void LoadFITS::mapHeaderKeys() {
  * and leading 0's
  */
 size_t LoadFITS::fetchNumber(const std::string &name) {
-  std::string tmpStr = "";
+  std::string tmpStr;
   for (auto it = name.end() - 1; isdigit(*it); --it) {
     tmpStr.insert(0, 1, *it);
   }
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadFullprofResolution.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadFullprofResolution.cpp
index a6724df2b18..223b9c06882 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadFullprofResolution.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadFullprofResolution.cpp
@@ -88,8 +88,6 @@ void LoadFullprofResolution::init() {
                   "Default is all workspaces in numerical order."
                   "If default banks are specified, they too are taken to be in "
                   "numerical order");
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -230,8 +228,6 @@ void LoadFullprofResolution::exec() {
     throw std::runtime_error(
         "Either the OutputTableWorkspace or Workspace property must be set.");
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -268,8 +264,6 @@ void LoadFullprofResolution::loadFile(string filename, vector<string> &lines) {
     g_log.error(errmsg.str());
     throw runtime_error(errmsg.str());
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -355,8 +349,6 @@ void LoadFullprofResolution::scanBanks(const vector<string> &lines,
     g_log.debug() << "Bank " << bank << " From line " << bankstartindexmap[bank]
                   << " to " << bankendindexmap[bank] << '\n';
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -624,8 +616,6 @@ void LoadFullprofResolution::parseResolutionStrings(
     } // END -IF StartWith
 
   } // For-all-line
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -667,8 +657,6 @@ void LoadFullprofResolution::parseBankLine(string line, double &cwl,
       }
     }
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1053,8 +1041,6 @@ void LoadFullprofResolution::getTableRowNumbers(
     row >> name;
     parammap.emplace(name, i);
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 } // namespace DataHandling
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadGSASInstrumentFile.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadGSASInstrumentFile.cpp
index fb2a5be44de..74e8997744b 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadGSASInstrumentFile.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadGSASInstrumentFile.cpp
@@ -88,8 +88,6 @@ void LoadGSASInstrumentFile::init() {
                   "Default is all workspaces in numerical order. "
                   "If default banks are specified, they too are taken to be in "
                   "numerical order");
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -203,8 +201,6 @@ void LoadGSASInstrumentFile::exec() {
       loadParamAlg->execute();
     }
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -241,8 +237,6 @@ void LoadGSASInstrumentFile::loadFile(string filename, vector<string> &lines) {
     g_log.error(errmsg.str());
     throw runtime_error(errmsg.str());
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /* Get the histogram type
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadGSS.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadGSS.cpp
index 59899cbeffd..44992417e1b 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadGSS.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadGSS.cpp
@@ -91,8 +91,6 @@ void LoadGSS::exec() {
       loadGSASFile(filename, useBankAsSpectrum);
 
   setProperty("OutputWorkspace", outputWorkspace);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -433,7 +431,7 @@ API::MatrixWorkspace_sptr LoadGSS::loadGSASFile(const std::string &filename,
 /** Convert a string containing number and unit to double
   */
 double LoadGSS::convertToDouble(std::string inputstring) {
-  std::string temps = "";
+  std::string temps;
   int isize = static_cast<int>(inputstring.size());
   for (int i = 0; i < isize; i++) {
     char thechar = inputstring[i];
@@ -526,8 +524,6 @@ void LoadGSS::createInstrumentGeometry(
     instrument->markAsDetector(detector);
 
   } // ENDFOR (i: spectrum)
-
-  return;
 }
 
 } // namespace
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadHelper.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadHelper.cpp
index aca6a78068b..f53b40e5ef4 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadHelper.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadHelper.cpp
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ using namespace API;
  */
 std::string
 LoadHelper::findInstrumentNexusPath(const Mantid::NeXus::NXEntry &firstEntry) {
-  std::string insNamePath = "";
+  std::string insNamePath;
   std::vector<Mantid::NeXus::NXClassInfo> v = firstEntry.groups();
   for (auto it = v.begin(); it < v.end(); it++) {
     if (it->nxclass == "NXinstrument") {
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadIDFFromNexus.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadIDFFromNexus.cpp
index bbed824a7bc..fd15411b485 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadIDFFromNexus.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadIDFFromNexus.cpp
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ void LoadIDFFromNexus::exec() {
                 << "\n";
 
   // Read parameter correction file, if found
-  std::string correctionParameterFile = "";
+  std::string correctionParameterFile;
   bool append = false;
   if (parameterCorrectionFile != "") {
     // Read parameter correction file
@@ -146,8 +146,6 @@ void LoadIDFFromNexus::exec() {
     g_log.notice() << "No correction parameter file applies to the date for "
                       "correection file.\n";
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /*  Gets the full pathname of the parameter correction file, if it exists
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadInstrumentFromNexus.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadInstrumentFromNexus.cpp
index 00e88a703fb..cc743db6a48 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadInstrumentFromNexus.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadInstrumentFromNexus.cpp
@@ -86,63 +86,6 @@ void LoadInstrumentFromNexus::exec() {
   }
   source->setPos(0.0, -1.0 * l1, 0.0);
   progress(1.0);
-
-  // add detectors
-  /* **** Ignoring all this for the moment - the sample Nexus files do not
-  contain most of these values
-
-  const int numDetector = nxload.i_det;    // number of detectors
-  const int* const detID = nxload.udet;    // detector IDs
-  const float* const r = nxload.len2;      // distance from sample
-  const float* const angle = nxload.tthe;  // angle between indicent beam and
-  direction from sample to detector (two-theta)
-
-  for (int i = 0; i < numDetector; ++i)
-  {
-    // Create a new detector. Instrument will take ownership of pointer so no
-  need to delete.
-    Geometry::Detector *detector = new Geometry::Detector("det",samplepos);
-    Kernel::V3D pos;
-    pos.spherical(r[i], angle[i], 0.0);
-    detector->setPos(pos);
-
-    // set detector ID, add copy to instrument and mark it
-    detector->setID(detID[i]);
-    instrument->add(detector);
-    instrument->markAsDetector(detector);
-  }
-
-  // Now mark the up the monitors
-  const int numMonitors = nxload.i_mon;     // The number of monitors
-  const int* const monIndex = nxload.mdet;  // Index into the udet array for
-  each monitor
-  for (int j = 0; j < numMonitors; ++j)
-  {
-    const int detectorToMark = detID[monIndex[j]-1];
-    Geometry::Detector *det =
-  dynamic_cast<Geometry::Detector*>(instrument->getDetector(detectorToMark));
-    det->markAsMonitor();
-    g_log.information() << "Detector with ID " << detectorToMark << " marked as
-  a monitor.\n";
-  }
-
-  // Information to the user about what info is extracted from nexus file
-  g_log.information() << "SamplePos component added with position set to
-  (0,0,0).\n"
-    << "Detector components added with position coordinates assumed to be
-  relative to the position of the sample; \n"
-    << "L2 and two-theta values were read from nexus file and used to set the r
-  and theta spherical coordinates; \n"
-    << "the remaining spherical coordinate phi was set to zero.\n"
-    << "Source component added with position set to (0,-" << l1 << ",0). In
-  standard configuration, with \n"
-    << "the beam along y-axis pointing from source to sample, this implies the
-  source is " << l1 << "m in front \n"
-    << "of the sample. This value can be changed via the 'instrument.l1'
-  configuration property.\n";
-  */
-
-  return;
 }
 
 } // namespace DataHandling
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadInstrumentFromRaw.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadInstrumentFromRaw.cpp
index 8b3f7f4bc36..72e363e248c 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadInstrumentFromRaw.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadInstrumentFromRaw.cpp
@@ -163,8 +163,6 @@ void LoadInstrumentFromRaw::exec() {
          "the source is " << l1 << "m in front \n"
       << "of the sample. This value can be changed via the 'instrument.l1' "
          "configuration property.\n";
-
-  return;
 }
 
 } // namespace DataHandling
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadIsawDetCal.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadIsawDetCal.cpp
index 1cf229f58a9..d46b0d20d2f 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadIsawDetCal.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadIsawDetCal.cpp
@@ -388,8 +388,6 @@ void LoadIsawDetCal::exec() {
   }
 
   setProperty("InputWorkspace", ws);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadLogsForSNSPulsedMagnet.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadLogsForSNSPulsedMagnet.cpp
index ec5704ffe04..0782e67f50f 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadLogsForSNSPulsedMagnet.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadLogsForSNSPulsedMagnet.cpp
@@ -111,8 +111,6 @@ void LoadLogsForSNSPulsedMagnet::exec() {
 
   // 4. Integrate answer
   addProperty();
-
-  return;
 }
 
 void LoadLogsForSNSPulsedMagnet::ParseDelayTimeLogFile() {
@@ -187,8 +185,6 @@ void LoadLogsForSNSPulsedMagnet::ParseDelayTimeLogFile() {
 
   m_numpulses = numpulses;
   m_delaytimes = delaytimes;
-
-  return;
 }
 
 #pragma pack(push, 4) // Make sure the structure is 16 bytes.
@@ -253,8 +249,6 @@ void LoadLogsForSNSPulsedMagnet::addProperty() {
 
   // Clean memory
   delete[] property;
-
-  return;
 }
 
 } // namespace Mantid
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadMappingTable.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadMappingTable.cpp
index 65c569075f8..038fbf0ed72 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadMappingTable.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadMappingTable.cpp
@@ -51,8 +51,6 @@ void LoadMappingTable::exec() {
   localWorkspace->updateSpectraUsing(
       SpectrumDetectorMapping(iraw->spec, iraw->udet, number_spectra));
   progress(1);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 } // Namespace DataHandling
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadMask.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadMask.cpp
index c4bef801a04..6b5d22e7cd5 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadMask.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadMask.cpp
@@ -143,8 +143,6 @@ void LoadMask::exec() {
 
   this->processMaskOnDetectors(false, unmaskdetids, unmaskdetidpairsL,
                                unmaskdetidpairsU);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 void LoadMask::initDetectors() {
@@ -155,8 +153,6 @@ void LoadMask::initDetectors() {
       m_maskWS->setMaskedIndex(wkspIndex);
     }
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -197,8 +193,6 @@ void LoadMask::processMaskOnDetectors(bool tomask,
     g_log.error() << "To Be Implemented Soon For Pair (" << pairdetids_low[i]
                   << ", " << pairdetids_up[i] << "!\n";
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -254,8 +248,6 @@ void LoadMask::componentToDetectors(std::vector<std::string> componentnames,
     g_log.debug() << "Number of Detectors in Children = " << numdets
                   << "  Range = " << id_min << ", " << id_max << '\n';
   } // for component
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -305,8 +297,6 @@ void LoadMask::bankToDetectors(std::vector<std::string> singlebanks,
 
     } // if-else
   }   // ENDFOR
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -362,8 +352,6 @@ void LoadMask::processMaskOnWorkspaceIndex(bool mask,
       }   // IF-ELSE: spectrum No has an entry
     }     // FOR EACH SpecNo
   }       // FOR EACH Pair
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -398,8 +386,6 @@ void LoadMask::detectorToDetectors(std::vector<int32_t> singles,
     detectorpairsup.push_back(pairsup[i]);
     */
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -520,8 +506,6 @@ void LoadMask::parseXML() {
 
     pNode = it.nextNode();
   } // ENDWHILE
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -557,8 +541,6 @@ void LoadMask::parseComponent(std::string valuetext, bool tomask) {
   '\n';
   }
   */
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -588,8 +570,6 @@ void LoadMask::parseSpectrumNos(std::string inputstr, bool tomask) {
       unmask_specid_pair_up.push_back(pairs[2 * i + 1]);
     }
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -619,8 +599,6 @@ void LoadMask::parseDetectorIDs(std::string inputstr, bool tomask) {
       unmask_detid_pair_up.push_back(pairs[2 * i + 1]);
     }
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /*
@@ -679,8 +657,6 @@ void LoadMask::parseRangeText(std::string inputstr,
     pairs.push_back(intstart);
     pairs.push_back(intend);
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 void LoadMask::splitString(std::string inputstr,
@@ -689,11 +665,6 @@ void LoadMask::splitString(std::string inputstr,
   // std::vector<std::string> SplitVec;
   boost::split(strings, inputstr, boost::is_any_of(sep),
                boost::token_compress_on);
-
-  // g_log.information() << "Inside... split size = " << strings.size() <<
-  // '\n';
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /*
@@ -732,8 +703,6 @@ void LoadMask::loadISISMaskFile(std::string isisfilename) {
   }
 
   ifs.close();
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /*
@@ -812,8 +781,6 @@ void LoadMask::parseISISStringToVector(string ins,
   } // END-WHILE
 
   splitstrings.clear();
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadMuonLog.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadMuonLog.cpp
index cbad65be5d9..0b3caedb4ce 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadMuonLog.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadMuonLog.cpp
@@ -102,7 +102,6 @@ void LoadMuonLog::exec() {
   } // end for
 
   // operation was a success and ended normally
-  return;
 }
 
 /** change each element of the string to lower case
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadMuonNexus2.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadMuonNexus2.cpp
index 170e65c51ec..ad9964f8de2 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadMuonNexus2.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadMuonNexus2.cpp
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ void LoadMuonNexus2::doExec() {
           WorkspaceFactory::Instance().create(localWorkspace));
     }
 
-    std::string outws("");
+    std::string outws;
     if (m_numberOfPeriods > 1) {
       std::string outputWorkspace = "OutputWorkspace";
       std::stringstream suffix;
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadNexus.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadNexus.cpp
index 4fcb8688e4a..e8c98c38d2b 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadNexus.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadNexus.cpp
@@ -114,7 +114,6 @@ void LoadNexus::exec() {
     }
     runLoadTOFRawNexus();
   }
-  return;
 }
 
 void LoadNexus::runLoadMuonNexus() {
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadNexusLogs.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadNexusLogs.cpp
index 8ff857de96f..07472edd2b6 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadNexusLogs.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadNexusLogs.cpp
@@ -554,7 +554,7 @@ LoadNexusLogs::createTimeSeries(::NeXus::File &file,
   // Now the values: Could be a string, int or double
   file.openData("value");
   // Get the units of the property
-  std::string value_units("");
+  std::string value_units;
   try {
     file.getAttr("units", value_units);
   } catch (::NeXus::Exception &) {
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadNexusProcessed.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadNexusProcessed.cpp
index a17e7cdd8bb..ef489fe6d9f 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadNexusProcessed.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadNexusProcessed.cpp
@@ -558,8 +558,8 @@ void LoadNexusProcessed::correctForWorkspaceNameClash(std::string &wsName) {
   bool noClash(false);
 
   for (int i = 0; !noClash; ++i) {
-    std::string wsIndex = ""; // dont use an index if there is no other
-                              // workspace
+    std::string wsIndex; // dont use an index if there is no other
+                         // workspace
     if (i > 0) {
       wsIndex = "_" + std::to_string(i);
     }
@@ -807,7 +807,7 @@ API::Workspace_sptr LoadNexusProcessed::loadTableEntry(NXEntry &entry) {
   do {
     std::string dataSetName = "column_" + std::to_string(columnNumber);
 
-    NXInfo info = nx_tw.getDataSetInfo(dataSetName.c_str());
+    NXInfo info = nx_tw.getDataSetInfo(dataSetName);
     if (info.stat == NX_ERROR) {
       // Assume we done last column of table
       break;
@@ -839,7 +839,7 @@ API::Workspace_sptr LoadNexusProcessed::loadTableEntry(NXEntry &entry) {
       }
     } else if (info.rank == 2) {
       if (info.type == NX_CHAR) {
-        NXChar data = nx_tw.openNXChar(dataSetName.c_str());
+        NXChar data = nx_tw.openNXChar(dataSetName);
         std::string columnTitle = data.attributes("name");
         if (!columnTitle.empty()) {
           workspace->addColumn("str", columnTitle);
@@ -859,7 +859,7 @@ API::Workspace_sptr LoadNexusProcessed::loadTableEntry(NXEntry &entry) {
       } else if (info.type == NX_INT32) {
         loadVectorColumn<int>(nx_tw, dataSetName, workspace, "vector_int");
       } else if (info.type == NX_FLOAT64) {
-        auto data = nx_tw.openNXDouble(dataSetName.c_str());
+        auto data = nx_tw.openNXDouble(dataSetName);
         if (data.attributes("interpret_as") == "V3D") {
           loadV3DColumn(data, workspace);
         } else {
@@ -888,13 +888,12 @@ void LoadNexusProcessed::loadVectorColumn(const NXData &tableData,
                                           const std::string &dataSetName,
                                           const ITableWorkspace_sptr &tableWs,
                                           const std::string &columnType) {
-  NXDataSetTyped<Type> data =
-      tableData.openNXDataSet<Type>(dataSetName.c_str());
+  NXDataSetTyped<Type> data = tableData.openNXDataSet<Type>(dataSetName);
   std::string columnTitle = data.attributes("name");
   if (!columnTitle.empty()) {
     tableWs->addColumn(columnType, columnTitle);
 
-    NXInfo info = tableData.getDataSetInfo(dataSetName.c_str());
+    NXInfo info = tableData.getDataSetInfo(dataSetName);
     const size_t rowCount = info.dims[0];
     const size_t blockSize = info.dims[1];
 
@@ -972,7 +971,7 @@ API::Workspace_sptr LoadNexusProcessed::loadPeaksEntry(NXEntry &entry) {
   do {
     std::string str = "column_" + std::to_string(columnNumber);
 
-    NXInfo info = nx_tw.getDataSetInfo(str.c_str());
+    NXInfo info = nx_tw.getDataSetInfo(str);
     if (info.stat == NX_ERROR) {
       // Assume we done last column of table
       break;
@@ -985,7 +984,7 @@ API::Workspace_sptr LoadNexusProcessed::loadPeaksEntry(NXEntry &entry) {
     // here we assume that a peaks_table has always one column of doubles
 
     if (info.type == NX_FLOAT64) {
-      NXDouble nxDouble = nx_tw.openNXDouble(str.c_str());
+      NXDouble nxDouble = nx_tw.openNXDouble(str);
       std::string columnTitle = nxDouble.attributes("name");
       if (!columnTitle.empty() && numberPeaks == 0) {
         numberPeaks = nxDouble.dim0();
@@ -1075,7 +1074,7 @@ API::Workspace_sptr LoadNexusProcessed::loadPeaksEntry(NXEntry &entry) {
 
   for (const auto &str : columnNames) {
     if (!str.compare("column_1")) {
-      NXInt nxInt = nx_tw.openNXInt(str.c_str());
+      NXInt nxInt = nx_tw.openNXInt(str);
       nxInt.load();
 
       for (int r = 0; r < numberPeaks; r++) {
@@ -1086,7 +1085,7 @@ API::Workspace_sptr LoadNexusProcessed::loadPeaksEntry(NXEntry &entry) {
     }
 
     if (!str.compare("column_2")) {
-      NXDouble nxDouble = nx_tw.openNXDouble(str.c_str());
+      NXDouble nxDouble = nx_tw.openNXDouble(str);
       nxDouble.load();
 
       for (int r = 0; r < numberPeaks; r++) {
@@ -1096,7 +1095,7 @@ API::Workspace_sptr LoadNexusProcessed::loadPeaksEntry(NXEntry &entry) {
     }
 
     if (!str.compare("column_3")) {
-      NXDouble nxDouble = nx_tw.openNXDouble(str.c_str());
+      NXDouble nxDouble = nx_tw.openNXDouble(str);
       nxDouble.load();
 
       for (int r = 0; r < numberPeaks; r++) {
@@ -1106,7 +1105,7 @@ API::Workspace_sptr LoadNexusProcessed::loadPeaksEntry(NXEntry &entry) {
     }
 
     if (!str.compare("column_4")) {
-      NXDouble nxDouble = nx_tw.openNXDouble(str.c_str());
+      NXDouble nxDouble = nx_tw.openNXDouble(str);
       nxDouble.load();
 
       for (int r = 0; r < numberPeaks; r++) {
@@ -1116,7 +1115,7 @@ API::Workspace_sptr LoadNexusProcessed::loadPeaksEntry(NXEntry &entry) {
     }
 
     if (!str.compare("column_5")) {
-      NXDouble nxDouble = nx_tw.openNXDouble(str.c_str());
+      NXDouble nxDouble = nx_tw.openNXDouble(str);
       nxDouble.load();
 
       for (int r = 0; r < numberPeaks; r++) {
@@ -1126,7 +1125,7 @@ API::Workspace_sptr LoadNexusProcessed::loadPeaksEntry(NXEntry &entry) {
     }
 
     if (!str.compare("column_6")) {
-      NXDouble nxDouble = nx_tw.openNXDouble(str.c_str());
+      NXDouble nxDouble = nx_tw.openNXDouble(str);
       nxDouble.load();
 
       for (int r = 0; r < numberPeaks; r++) {
@@ -1136,7 +1135,7 @@ API::Workspace_sptr LoadNexusProcessed::loadPeaksEntry(NXEntry &entry) {
     }
 
     if (!str.compare("column_7")) {
-      NXDouble nxDouble = nx_tw.openNXDouble(str.c_str());
+      NXDouble nxDouble = nx_tw.openNXDouble(str);
       nxDouble.load();
 
       for (int r = 0; r < numberPeaks; r++) {
@@ -1146,7 +1145,7 @@ API::Workspace_sptr LoadNexusProcessed::loadPeaksEntry(NXEntry &entry) {
     }
 
     if (!str.compare("column_10")) {
-      NXDouble nxDouble = nx_tw.openNXDouble(str.c_str());
+      NXDouble nxDouble = nx_tw.openNXDouble(str);
       nxDouble.load();
 
       for (int r = 0; r < numberPeaks; r++) {
@@ -1156,7 +1155,7 @@ API::Workspace_sptr LoadNexusProcessed::loadPeaksEntry(NXEntry &entry) {
     }
 
     if (!str.compare("column_14")) {
-      NXInt nxInt = nx_tw.openNXInt(str.c_str());
+      NXInt nxInt = nx_tw.openNXInt(str);
       nxInt.load();
 
       for (int r = 0; r < numberPeaks; r++) {
@@ -1167,7 +1166,7 @@ API::Workspace_sptr LoadNexusProcessed::loadPeaksEntry(NXEntry &entry) {
     }
 
     if (!str.compare("column_15")) {
-      NXDouble nxDouble = nx_tw.openNXDouble(str.c_str());
+      NXDouble nxDouble = nx_tw.openNXDouble(str);
       nxDouble.load();
       Kernel::Matrix<double> gm(3, 3, false);
       int k = 0;
@@ -1195,8 +1194,8 @@ API::Workspace_sptr LoadNexusProcessed::loadPeaksEntry(NXEntry &entry) {
       peakFactoryEllipsoid->setSuccessor(peakFactorySphere);
       peakFactorySphere->setSuccessor(peakFactoryNone);
 
-      NXInfo info = nx_tw.getDataSetInfo(str.c_str());
-      NXChar data = nx_tw.openNXChar(str.c_str());
+      NXInfo info = nx_tw.getDataSetInfo(str);
+      NXChar data = nx_tw.openNXChar(str);
 
       const int maxShapeJSONLength = info.dims[1];
       data.load();
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadPDFgetNFile.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadPDFgetNFile.cpp
index c9d713bf6aa..524ea6463cb 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadPDFgetNFile.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadPDFgetNFile.cpp
@@ -94,8 +94,6 @@ void LoadPDFgetNFile::exec() {
   generateDataWorkspace();
 
   setProperty("OutputWorkspace", outWS);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -152,8 +150,6 @@ void LoadPDFgetNFile::parseDataFile(std::string filename) {
     g_log.error() << errmsg.str() << '\n';
     throw std::runtime_error(errmsg.str());
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -210,8 +206,6 @@ void LoadPDFgetNFile::parseColumnNameLine(std::string line) {
     msgss << setw(-3) << i << ": " << setw(-10) << mColumnNames[i];
   }
   g_log.information() << msgss.str() << '\n';
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Parse data line
@@ -255,8 +249,6 @@ void LoadPDFgetNFile::parseDataLine(string line) {
 
     mData[i].push_back(tempvalue);
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -281,7 +273,7 @@ void LoadPDFgetNFile::setUnit(Workspace2D_sptr ws) {
 
   // 2. Set Y
   string ycolname = mColumnNames[1];
-  string ylabel("");
+  string ylabel;
   if (ycolname.compare("G(r)") == 0) {
     ylabel = "PDF";
   } else if (ycolname.compare("S") == 0) {
@@ -290,8 +282,6 @@ void LoadPDFgetNFile::setUnit(Workspace2D_sptr ws) {
     ylabel = "Intensity";
   }
   ws->setYUnitLabel(ylabel);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Generate output data workspace
@@ -386,8 +376,6 @@ void LoadPDFgetNFile::generateDataWorkspace() {
       E[index] = mData[2][baseindex + j];
     }
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 } // namespace DataHandling
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadRKH.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadRKH.cpp
index 9975d815f3b..18a7c8a440c 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadRKH.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadRKH.cpp
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ void readLinesForRKH1D(std::istream &stream, int readStart, int readEnd,
                        std::vector<double> &columnOne,
                        std::vector<double> &ydata, std::vector<double> &errdata,
                        Progress &prog) {
-  std::string fileline = "";
+  std::string fileline;
   for (int index = 1; index <= readEnd; ++index) {
     getline(stream, fileline);
     if (index < readStart)
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ void readLinesWithXErrorForRKH1D(std::istream &stream, int readStart,
                                  std::vector<double> &ydata,
                                  std::vector<double> &errdata,
                                  std::vector<double> &xError, Progress &prog) {
-  std::string fileline = "";
+  std::string fileline;
   for (int index = 1; index <= readEnd; ++index) {
     getline(stream, fileline);
     if (index < readStart)
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ int LoadRKH::confidence(Kernel::FileDescriptor &descriptor) const {
     return 0;
 
   auto &file = descriptor.data();
-  std::string fileline("");
+  std::string fileline;
 
   // Header looks something like this where the text inside [] could be anything
   //  LOQ Thu 28-OCT-2004 12:23 [W 26  INST_DIRECT_BEAM]
@@ -515,7 +515,7 @@ const std::string LoadRKH::readUnit(const std::string &line) {
  * @param nlines :: The number of lines to remove
  */
 void LoadRKH::skipLines(std::istream &strm, int nlines) {
-  std::string buried("");
+  std::string buried;
   for (int i = 0; i < nlines; ++i) {
     getline(strm, buried);
   }
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadRaw/vms_convert.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadRaw/vms_convert.cpp
index 2d90d32b89c..1ff08d7ed78 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadRaw/vms_convert.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadRaw/vms_convert.cpp
@@ -73,7 +73,6 @@ void local_to_vax_shorts(unsigned short *sa, const int *n) {
 #endif /* WORDS_BIGENDIAN */
   (void)sa;
   (void)n; // Avoid compiler warning
-  return;
 }
 
 void vax_to_local_shorts(unsigned short *sa, const int *n) {
@@ -85,7 +84,6 @@ void vax_to_local_shorts(unsigned short *sa, const int *n) {
 #endif /* WORDS_BIGENDIAN */
   (void)sa;
   (void)n; // Avoid compiler warning
-  return;
 }
 
 void local_to_vax_ints(fort_int *ia, const fort_int *n) {
@@ -98,7 +96,6 @@ void local_to_vax_ints(fort_int *ia, const fort_int *n) {
 #endif /* WORDS_BIGENDIAN */
   (void)ia;
   (void)n; // Avoid compiler warning
-  return;
 }
 
 void vax_to_local_ints(fort_int *ia, const fort_int *n) {
@@ -111,7 +108,6 @@ void vax_to_local_ints(fort_int *ia, const fort_int *n) {
 #endif /* WORDS_BIGENDIAN */
   (void)ia;
   (void)n; // Avoid compiler warning
-  return;
 }
 
 /*
@@ -371,7 +367,6 @@ void vaxf_to_local(float *val, const int *n, int *errcode) {
 #else
 #error Unknown floating point format
 #endif
-  return;
 }
 
 void local_to_vaxf(float *val, const int *n, int *errcode) {
@@ -387,7 +382,6 @@ void local_to_vaxf(float *val, const int *n, int *errcode) {
 #else
 #error Unknown floating point format
 #endif
-  return;
 }
 
 void ieee_float_to_local(float *val, const int *n, int *errcode) {
@@ -409,7 +403,6 @@ void ieee_float_to_local(float *val, const int *n, int *errcode) {
 #else
 #error Unknown floating point format
 #endif
-  return;
 }
 
 void ieee_double_to_local(double *val, const int *n, int *errcode) {
@@ -432,7 +425,6 @@ void ieee_double_to_local(double *val, const int *n, int *errcode) {
 #else
 #error Unknown floating point format
 #endif
-  return;
 }
 
 void local_to_ieee_float(float *val, const int *n, int *errcode) {
@@ -455,7 +447,6 @@ void local_to_ieee_float(float *val, const int *n, int *errcode) {
 #else
 #error Unknown floating point format
 #endif
-  return;
 }
 
 void local_to_ieee_double(double *val, const int *n, int *errcode) {
@@ -476,7 +467,6 @@ void local_to_ieee_double(double *val, const int *n, int *errcode) {
 #else
 #error Unknown floating point format
 #endif
-  return;
 }
 
 #if 0
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadRawHelper.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadRawHelper.cpp
index ae41c16eb31..786c128ba17 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadRawHelper.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadRawHelper.cpp
@@ -1180,7 +1180,7 @@ LoadRawHelper::searchForLogFiles(const std::string &pathToRawFile) {
     // ones.
 
     // strip out the raw data file identifier
-    std::string l_rawID("");
+    std::string l_rawID;
     size_t idx = l_filenamePart.rfind('.');
 
     if (idx != std::string::npos) {
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadSPE.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadSPE.cpp
index 41232a4b080..12e449bfab0 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadSPE.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadSPE.cpp
@@ -229,8 +229,6 @@ void LoadSPE::readHistogram(FILE *speFile, API::MatrixWorkspace_sptr workspace,
   }
   // Read to EOL
   fgets(comment, 100, speFile);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Called if the file is not formatted as expected
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadSavuTomoConfig.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadSavuTomoConfig.cpp
index 8e555d16158..6b75a28a3de 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadSavuTomoConfig.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadSavuTomoConfig.cpp
@@ -170,10 +170,10 @@ ITableWorkspace_sptr LoadSavuTomoConfig::loadFile(std::string &fname,
     }
 
     // TODO: check final 'schema', get these 4 fields from the file
-    std::string id = "";
-    std::string params = "";
-    std::string name = "";
-    std::string cite = "";
+    std::string id;
+    std::string params;
+    std::string name;
+    std::string cite;
     try {
       f->readData("data", params);
       f->readData("id", id);
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadSpiceAscii.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadSpiceAscii.cpp
index a18ed557a45..7d90e5810f5 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadSpiceAscii.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadSpiceAscii.cpp
@@ -133,8 +133,6 @@ void LoadSpiceAscii::init() {
       make_unique<WorkspaceProperty<MatrixWorkspace>>("RunInfoWorkspace", "",
                                                       Direction::Output),
       "Name of TableWorkspace containing experimental information.");
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -254,7 +252,7 @@ void LoadSpiceAscii::parseSPICEAscii(
         g_log.debug() << "Title = " << terms[0]
                       << ", number of splitted terms = " << terms.size()
                       << "\n";
-        std::string infovalue("");
+        std::string infovalue;
         if (terms.size() == 2) {
           infovalue = terms[1];
           boost::trim(infovalue);
@@ -302,8 +300,6 @@ void LoadSpiceAscii::parseSPICEAscii(
   g_log.debug() << "Run info dictionary has " << runinfodict.size()
                 << " entries."
                 << "\n";
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -489,7 +485,7 @@ void LoadSpiceAscii::setupRunStartTime(
 std::string LoadSpiceAscii::processDateString(const std::string &rawdate,
                                               const std::string &dateformat) {
   // Identify splitter
-  std::string splitter("");
+  std::string splitter;
   if (dateformat.find('/') != std::string::npos)
     splitter += "/";
   else if (dateformat.find('-') != std::string::npos)
@@ -508,9 +504,9 @@ std::string LoadSpiceAscii::processDateString(const std::string &rawdate,
 
   if (dateterms.size() != formatterms.size() || dateterms.size() != 3)
     throw std::runtime_error("Unsupported date string and format");
-  std::string year("");
-  std::string month("");
-  std::string day("");
+  std::string year;
+  std::string month;
+  std::string day;
   for (size_t i = 0; i < 3; ++i) {
     if (formatterms[i].find('Y') != std::string::npos)
       year = dateterms[i];
@@ -595,8 +591,6 @@ template <typename T>
 void LoadSpiceAscii::addProperty(API::MatrixWorkspace_sptr ws,
                                  const std::string &pname, T pvalue) {
   ws->mutableRun().addLogData(new PropertyWithValue<T>(pname, pvalue));
-
-  return;
 }
 
 } // namespace DataHandling
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadSpiceXML2DDet.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadSpiceXML2DDet.cpp
index e4a550cf33b..428d8f36c61 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadSpiceXML2DDet.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadSpiceXML2DDet.cpp
@@ -77,8 +77,6 @@ void SpiceXMLNode::setParameters(const std::string &nodetype,
   // description
   if (nodedescription.size() > 0)
     m_description = nodedescription;
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -254,8 +252,6 @@ void LoadSpiceXML2DDet::processInputs() {
     m_hasScanTable = false;
 
   m_ptNumber4Log = getProperty("PtNumber");
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -394,9 +390,9 @@ LoadSpiceXML2DDet::parseSpiceXML(const std::string &xmlfilename) {
                     << "\n";
 
       SpiceXMLNode xmlnode(nodename);
-      std::string nodetype("");
-      std::string nodeunit("");
-      std::string nodedescription("");
+      std::string nodetype;
+      std::string nodeunit;
+      std::string nodedescription;
 
       for (unsigned long j = 0; j < numattr; ++j) {
         std::string atttext = pNode->attributes()->item(j)->innerText();
@@ -619,8 +615,6 @@ void LoadSpiceXML2DDet::setupSampleLogFromSpiceTable(
     g_log.warning() << "Pt. " << ptnumber
                     << " is not found.  Log is not loaded to output workspace."
                     << "\n";
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -707,8 +701,6 @@ void LoadSpiceXML2DDet::setXtoLabQ(API::MatrixWorkspace_sptr dataws,
   }
 
   dataws->getAxis(0)->setUnit("Momentum");
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -734,8 +726,6 @@ void LoadSpiceXML2DDet::loadInstrument(API::MatrixWorkspace_sptr matrixws,
     matrixws = loadinst->getProperty("Workspace");
   else
     g_log.error("Unable to load instrument to output workspace");
-
-  return;
 }
 
 } // namespace DataHandling
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadTBL.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadTBL.cpp
index 5e7b097d88b..27766a52bf6 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadTBL.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadTBL.cpp
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@ void LoadTBL::exec() {
   if (!file) {
     throw Exception::FileError("Unable to open file: ", filename);
   }
-  std::string line = "";
+  std::string line;
 
   ITableWorkspace_sptr ws = WorkspaceFactory::Instance().createTable();
 
@@ -346,7 +346,7 @@ void LoadTBL::exec() {
     if (!file) {
       throw Exception::FileError("Unable to open file: ", filename);
     }
-    std::string line = "";
+    std::string line;
     int stitchID = 1;
     while (Kernel::Strings::extractToEOL(file, line)) {
       if (line == "" || line == ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,") {
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadTOFRawNexus.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadTOFRawNexus.cpp
index a36fc891db9..33688e53660 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadTOFRawNexus.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadTOFRawNexus.cpp
@@ -387,7 +387,7 @@ void LoadTOFRawNexus::loadBank(const std::string &nexusfilename,
   X.assign(tof.begin(), tof.end());
 
   // Load the data. Coerce ints into double.
-  std::string errorsField = "";
+  std::string errorsField;
   std::vector<double> data;
   file->openData(m_dataField);
   file->getDataCoerce(data);
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadVulcanCalFile.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadVulcanCalFile.cpp
index 058089b3df2..94b41265072 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadVulcanCalFile.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/LoadVulcanCalFile.cpp
@@ -200,8 +200,6 @@ void LoadVulcanCalFile::processInOutProperites() {
     m_doAlignEventWS = true;
   else
     m_doAlignEventWS = false;
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -209,7 +207,7 @@ void LoadVulcanCalFile::processInOutProperites() {
   */
 void LoadVulcanCalFile::setupGroupingWorkspace() {
   // Get the right group option for CreateGroupingWorkspace
-  string groupdetby = "";
+  string groupdetby;
   switch (m_groupingType) {
   case VULCAN_OFFSET_BANK:
     groupdetby = "bank";
@@ -253,8 +251,6 @@ void LoadVulcanCalFile::setupGroupingWorkspace() {
                   "Set the output GroupingWorkspace. ");
   m_groupWS->mutableRun().addProperty("Filename", m_offsetFilename);
   setProperty("OutputGroupingWorkspace", m_groupWS);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -305,8 +301,6 @@ void LoadVulcanCalFile::setupMaskWorkspace() {
     }
   }
   g_log.information(msg.str());
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -327,8 +321,6 @@ void LoadVulcanCalFile::generateOffsetsWorkspace() {
 
   // Convert to Mantid offset values
   convertOffsets();
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -354,8 +346,6 @@ void LoadVulcanCalFile::readOffsetFile(
     detid_t detid = static_cast<detid_t>(pid);
     map_detoffset.emplace(detid, offset);
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -484,8 +474,6 @@ void LoadVulcanCalFile::processOffsets(
     double offset = offsetiter->second + bankcorriter->second;
     m_tofOffsetsWS->dataY(iws)[0] = pow(10., offset);
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -511,8 +499,6 @@ void LoadVulcanCalFile::alignEventWorkspace() {
     PARALLEL_END_INTERUPT_REGION
   }
   PARALLEL_CHECK_INTERUPT_REGION
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -585,8 +571,6 @@ void LoadVulcanCalFile::convertOffsets() {
                        1.;
     m_offsetsWS->dataY(iws)[0] = manoffset;
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/MaskDetectors.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/MaskDetectors.cpp
index d088be826e2..d8960801f22 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/MaskDetectors.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/MaskDetectors.cpp
@@ -320,8 +320,6 @@ void MaskDetectors::appendToIndexListFromWS(
       indexList.push_back(i);
     }
   }
-
-  return;
 } // appendToIndexListFromWS
 
 /**
@@ -348,8 +346,6 @@ void MaskDetectors::appendToIndexListFromMaskWS(
       indexList.push_back(i);
     }
   }
-
-  return;
 } // appendToIndexListFromWS
 
 } // namespace DataHandling
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/MergeLogs.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/MergeLogs.cpp
index 223cc96ad25..cdb716db3d9 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/MergeLogs.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/MergeLogs.cpp
@@ -24,8 +24,6 @@ void Merge2WorkspaceLogs::init() {
                   "Reset both logs' values to unity for each one.");
   declareProperty("LogValue1", 0.0, "Unity value of log 1.");
   declareProperty("LogValue2", 1.0, "Unity value of log 2.");
-
-  return;
 }
 
 void Merge2WorkspaceLogs::exec() {
@@ -53,8 +51,6 @@ void Merge2WorkspaceLogs::exec() {
   // 3. Merge log
   this->mergeLogs(logname1, logname2, mlogname, resetlogvalue, logvalue1,
                   logvalue2);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /*
@@ -158,8 +154,6 @@ void Merge2WorkspaceLogs::mergeLogs(std::string ilogname1,
   }
 
   matrixWS->mutableRun().addProperty(rp);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/MoveInstrumentComponent.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/MoveInstrumentComponent.cpp
index 5d153d0903f..ef67846d94c 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/MoveInstrumentComponent.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/MoveInstrumentComponent.cpp
@@ -94,8 +94,6 @@ void MoveInstrumentComponent::exec() {
     positionType = Relative;
   Geometry::ComponentHelper::moveComponent(*comp, pmap, V3D(X, Y, Z),
                                            positionType);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 } // namespace DataHandling
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/ProcessDasNexusLog.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/ProcessDasNexusLog.cpp
index 1654b84c5df..621f9738be5 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/ProcessDasNexusLog.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/ProcessDasNexusLog.cpp
@@ -45,8 +45,6 @@ void ProcessDasNexusLog::init() {
       make_unique<API::FileProperty>("OutputLogFile", "",
                                      API::FileProperty::OptionalSave),
       "The file name for the output data file. ");
-
-  return;
 }
 
 void ProcessDasNexusLog::exec() {
@@ -176,8 +174,6 @@ void ProcessDasNexusLog::addLog(API::MatrixWorkspace_sptr ws,
     newlog->addValue(time, unifylogvalue);
   }
   ws->mutableRun().addProperty(newlog, true);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /*
@@ -309,8 +305,6 @@ void ProcessDasNexusLog::calDistributions(
     g_log.notice() << i << "\t\t" << x2s[i] << "\t\t" << y2[i] << '\n';
     */
   g_log.notice() << "total number of wrong dt = " << numbaddt << '\n';
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /*
@@ -364,8 +358,6 @@ void ProcessDasNexusLog::checkLog(API::MatrixWorkspace_sptr ws,
                       << times[f].totalNanoseconds() << ", "
                       << Kernel::DateAndTime::nanosecondsFromDuration(dtf)
                       << '\n';
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /*
@@ -424,8 +416,6 @@ void ProcessDasNexusLog::convertToAbsoluteTime(
   } else {
     throw std::runtime_error("Impossible for this to happen!");
   }
-
-  return;
 } // END Function
 
 /*
@@ -488,8 +478,6 @@ void ProcessDasNexusLog::writeLogtoFile(API::MatrixWorkspace_sptr ws,
   }
 
   ofs.close();
-
-  return;
 } // END Function
 
 } // namespace Mantid
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/RemoveLogs.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/RemoveLogs.cpp
index 974c5316f3c..b5a12bc58f0 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/RemoveLogs.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/RemoveLogs.cpp
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ void RemoveLogs::exec() {
   std::vector<std::string> logNames;
   auto pEnd = logData.end();
   for (auto pItr = logData.begin(); pItr != pEnd; ++pItr) {
-    logNames.push_back((*pItr)->name().c_str());
+    logNames.push_back((*pItr)->name());
   }
   for (std::vector<std::string>::const_iterator it = logNames.begin();
        it != logNames.end(); ++it) {
@@ -73,9 +73,7 @@ void RemoveLogs::exec() {
       localWorkspace->mutableRun().removeLogData(*it);
     }
   }
-
   // operation was a success and ended normally
-  return;
 }
 
 } // namespace DataHandling
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/RenameLog.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/RenameLog.cpp
index 6636d9015d4..c54a3127918 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/RenameLog.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/RenameLog.cpp
@@ -22,8 +22,6 @@ void RenameLog::init() {
   declareProperty("NewLogName", "",
                   boost::make_shared<MandatoryValidator<std::string>>(),
                   "Log's new name.");
-
-  return;
 }
 
 void RenameLog::exec() {
@@ -52,8 +50,6 @@ void RenameLog::exec() {
   // std::vector<Kernel::DateAndTime> newtimes = timeprop->timesAsVector();
   // std::cout << "Entries = " << newtimes.size() << '\n';
   matrixWS->mutableRun().addProperty(timeprop);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 } // namespace Mantid
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveAscii.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveAscii.cpp
index 5bb51552a5e..fa04b5e849b 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveAscii.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveAscii.cpp
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ void SaveAscii::exec() {
   }
   std::string comment = getPropertyValue("CommentIndicator");
   std::string errstr = "E";
-  std::string errstr2 = "";
+  std::string errstr2;
   std::string comstr = " , ";
   bool ice = getProperty("ICEFormat");
   if (ice) {
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveCSV.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveCSV.cpp
index 71dcce99848..9ec8cae89b2 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveCSV.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveCSV.cpp
@@ -198,8 +198,6 @@ void SaveCSV::exec() {
         "SaveCSV currently only works for 2D workspaces.");
   }
   outCSV_File.close();
-  // only gets here if everything happened normally
-  return;
 }
 
 void SaveCSV::saveXerrors(std::ofstream &stream,
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveCanSAS1D.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveCanSAS1D.cpp
index f04247139e5..72a7c2d474f 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveCanSAS1D.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveCanSAS1D.cpp
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ void SaveCanSAS1D::writeHeader(const std::string &fileName) {
     m_outFile << "<?xml version=\"1.0\"?>\n"
               << "<?xml-stylesheet type=\"text/xsl\" "
                  "href=\"cansasxml-html.xsl\" ?>\n";
-    std::string sasroot = "";
+    std::string sasroot;
     createSASRootElement(sasroot);
     m_outFile << sasroot;
   } catch (std::fstream::failure &) {
@@ -578,7 +578,7 @@ void SaveCanSAS1D::createSASProcessElement(std::string &sasProcess) {
   sasProcess += sasProcsvn;
 
   const API::Run &run = m_workspace->run();
-  std::string user_file("");
+  std::string user_file;
   if (run.hasProperty("UserFile")) {
     user_file = run.getLogData("UserFile")->value();
   }
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveCanSAS1D2.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveCanSAS1D2.cpp
index 3df6e6decfa..32e271fab95 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveCanSAS1D2.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveCanSAS1D2.cpp
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ void SaveCanSAS1D2::writeHeader(const std::string &fileName) {
     m_outFile
         << "<?xml version=\"1.0\"?>\n"
         << "<?xml-stylesheet type=\"text/xsl\" href=\"cansas1d.xsl\" ?>\n";
-    std::string sasroot = "";
+    std::string sasroot;
     createSASRootElement(sasroot);
     m_outFile << sasroot;
   } catch (std::fstream::failure &) {
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveDetectorsGrouping.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveDetectorsGrouping.cpp
index bc1df710fa2..8804ee5dcae 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveDetectorsGrouping.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveDetectorsGrouping.cpp
@@ -102,8 +102,6 @@ void SaveDetectorsGrouping::createGroupDetectorIDMap(
     }
     it->second.insert(it->second.end(), detids.begin(), detids.end());
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /*
@@ -148,8 +146,6 @@ void SaveDetectorsGrouping::convertToDetectorsRanges(
     groupdetidrangemap[groupid] = detranges;
 
   } // ENDFOR GroupID
-
-  return;
 }
 
 void SaveDetectorsGrouping::printToXML(
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveFocusedXYE.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveFocusedXYE.cpp
index 36d56707153..930cc8b3161 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveFocusedXYE.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveFocusedXYE.cpp
@@ -192,7 +192,6 @@ void SaveFocusedXYE::exec() {
   if (!split) {
     out.close();
   }
-  return;
 }
 
 /** virtual method to set the non workspace properties for this algorithm
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveFullprofResolution.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveFullprofResolution.cpp
index f805991ac14..39047131ac7 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveFullprofResolution.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveFullprofResolution.cpp
@@ -106,8 +106,6 @@ void SaveFullprofResolution::exec() {
   }
   ofile << filestr;
   ofile.close();
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -146,8 +144,6 @@ void SaveFullprofResolution::processProperties() {
     g_log.error(errmsg.str());
     throw runtime_error(errmsg.str());
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -228,8 +224,6 @@ void SaveFullprofResolution::parseTableWorkspace() {
     dbss << setw(20) << mit->first << " = " << setprecision(5) << mit->second
          << '\n';
   g_log.debug(dbss.str());
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveGSASInstrumentFile.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveGSASInstrumentFile.cpp
index d29d4921072..fadab6de235 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveGSASInstrumentFile.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveGSASInstrumentFile.cpp
@@ -218,8 +218,6 @@ void ChopperConfiguration::setParameter(unsigned int bankid,
       throw runtime_error(errss.str());
     }
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -333,8 +331,6 @@ void SaveGSASInstrumentFile::init() {
   declareProperty("TwoTheta", EMPTY_DBL(), mustBePositive,
                   "Angle of the detector bank. "
                   "It must be given if L2 is not given. ");
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -382,8 +378,6 @@ void SaveGSASInstrumentFile::exec() {
     g_log.error(errorstr);
     throw std::runtime_error(errorstr);
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -479,25 +473,6 @@ void SaveGSASInstrumentFile::processProperties() {
 void SaveGSASInstrumentFile::initConstants(
     const map<unsigned int, map<string, double>> &profmap) {
   m_configuration = setupInstrumentConstants(profmap);
-
-  /*
-  if (m_instrument.compare("PG3") == 0)
-  {
-    m_configuration = setupPG3Constants(chopperfrequency);
-  }
-  else if (m_instrument.compare("NOM") == 0)
-  {
-    m_configuration = setupNOMConstants(chopperfrequency);
-  }
-  else
-  {
-    stringstream errss;
-    errss << "Instrument " << m_instrument << " is not supported. ";
-    throw runtime_error(errss.str());
-  }
-  */
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -551,8 +526,6 @@ void SaveGSASInstrumentFile::parseProfileTableWorkspace(
     unsigned int bankid = vecbankindex[i];
     profilemap.emplace(bankid, vec_maptemp[i]);
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -731,8 +704,6 @@ void SaveGSASInstrumentFile::convertToGSAS(
       throw runtime_error(errss.str());
     }
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -809,8 +780,6 @@ void SaveGSASInstrumentFile::buildGSASTabulatedProfile(
                   << "\t  " << setw(20) << setprecision(10) << instC << "\t "
                   << setw(20) << setprecision(10) << m_gdt[k] << ".\n";
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -835,8 +804,6 @@ void SaveGSASInstrumentFile::writePRMHeader(const vector<unsigned int> &banks,
   fprintf(pFile, "INS   FPATH1     %f \n", m_L1);
   fprintf(pFile, "INS   HTYPE   PNTR \n");
   fclose(pFile);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -976,8 +943,6 @@ void SaveGSASInstrumentFile::writePRMSingleBank(
   }
 
   fclose(pFile);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1116,8 +1081,6 @@ void SaveGSASInstrumentFile::loadFullprofResolutionFile(
   if (!m_inpWS)
     throw runtime_error("Failed to obtain a table workspace from "
                         "LoadFullprofResolution's output.");
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveGSS.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveGSS.cpp
index ff9d1205650..0c4792d6a99 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveGSS.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveGSS.cpp
@@ -126,8 +126,6 @@ void getFocusedPos(MatrixWorkspace_const_sptr wksp, const int spectrum,
 
   difc = ((2.0 * PhysicalConstants::NeutronMass * sin(tth * 0.5) * (l1 + l2)) /
           (PhysicalConstants::h * 1.e4));
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -186,8 +184,6 @@ void SaveGSS::exec() {
 
   writeGSASFile(filename, append, bank, MultiplyByBinWidth, split,
                 outputFormat);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -252,7 +248,7 @@ void SaveGSS::writeGSASFile(const std::string &outfilename, bool append,
                   << "\n";
 
     bool writeheader = false;
-    std::string splitfilename("");
+    std::string splitfilename;
     if (!split && iws == 0 && !append) {
       // Non-split mode and first spectrum and in non-append mode
       writeheader = true;
@@ -332,8 +328,6 @@ void SaveGSS::writeGSASFile(const std::string &outfilename, bool append,
     out.write(outbuffer.str().c_str(), outbuffer.str().length());
     out.close();
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -399,8 +393,6 @@ void writeLogValue(std::ostream &os, const Run &runinfo,
   std::string units = prop->units();
   if (!units.empty())
     os << " " << units;
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -487,8 +479,6 @@ void SaveGSS::writeHeaders(const std::string &format, std::stringstream &os,
   }
 
   os.flags(fflags);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -561,8 +551,6 @@ void SaveGSS::writeRALFdata(const int bank, const bool MultiplyByBinWidth,
     // The error
     out << std::fixed << std::setprecision(8) << std::setw(18) << Epos << "\n";
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -613,8 +601,6 @@ void SaveGSS::writeSLOGdata(const int bank, const bool MultiplyByBinWidth,
         << "\n"; // let it flush its own buffer
   }
   out << std::flush;
-
-  return;
 }
 
 } // namespace DataHandling
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveMask.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveMask.cpp
index 4959f103a73..8e0371a1f54 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveMask.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveMask.cpp
@@ -184,8 +184,6 @@ void SaveMask::exec() {
   writer.writeNode(std::cout, pDoc);
   writer.writeNode(ofs, pDoc);
   ofs.close();
-
-  return;
 }
 
 } // namespace DataHandling
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveNXcanSAS.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveNXcanSAS.cpp
index 522eee7d518..e751a474935 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveNXcanSAS.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveNXcanSAS.cpp
@@ -601,7 +601,7 @@ void addTransmission(H5::Group &group,
   // Add T with units + uncertainty definition
   const auto transmissionData = workspace->readY(0);
   std::map<std::string, std::string> transmissionAttributes;
-  std::string unit = "";
+  std::string unit;
   if (unit.empty()) {
     unit = sasNone;
   }
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveNexus.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveNexus.cpp
index c673735a983..b9fcc8f8b61 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveNexus.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveNexus.cpp
@@ -94,8 +94,6 @@ void SaveNexus::exec() {
   m_inputWorkspace = getProperty("InputWorkspace");
 
   runSaveNexusProcessed();
-
-  return;
 }
 /** virtual method to set the non workspace properties for this algorithm
  *  @param alg :: pointer to the algorithm
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveNexusProcessed.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveNexusProcessed.cpp
index f98fedecd19..6a38a3acb29 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveNexusProcessed.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveNexusProcessed.cpp
@@ -299,7 +299,6 @@ void SaveNexusProcessed::doExec(Workspace_sptr inputWorkspace,
 
   inputWorkspace->history().saveNexus(cppFile);
   nexusFile->closeGroup();
-  return;
 }
 
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveOpenGenieAscii.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveOpenGenieAscii.cpp
index 1f24cf2085e..203f9039df6 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveOpenGenieAscii.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveOpenGenieAscii.cpp
@@ -131,7 +131,6 @@ void SaveOpenGenieAscii::exec() {
   writeSampleLogs(outfile);
 
   progress.report();
-  return;
 }
 
 // -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -163,7 +162,7 @@ std::string SaveOpenGenieAscii::getAxisHeader(const std::string alpha,
                                               const std::string singleSpc,
                                               const std::string fourspc,
                                               int nBins) {
-  std::string outStr = "";
+  std::string outStr;
   const std::string GXR = "GXRealarray";
   const std::string banknum = "1";
   const std::string twospc = " ";
@@ -216,7 +215,7 @@ void SaveOpenGenieAscii::axisToFile(const std::string alpha,
    */
 std::string SaveOpenGenieAscii::getAxisValues(std::string alpha, int bin,
                                               const std::string singleSpc) {
-  std::string output = "";
+  std::string output;
   if (alpha == "\"e\"") {
     output += boost::lexical_cast<std::string>(ws->readE(0)[bin]) + singleSpc;
   }
@@ -326,7 +325,7 @@ void SaveOpenGenieAscii::writeSampleLogs(std::ofstream &outfile) {
    *  @param nBins ::  Number of bins
    */
 void SaveOpenGenieAscii::addNtc(const std::string fourspc, int nBins) {
-  std::string outStr = "";
+  std::string outStr;
   std::string ntc = "ntc";
 
   outStr += ("  \"" + ntc + "\"" + "\n" + fourspc + "Integer" + "\n" + fourspc +
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveToSNSHistogramNexus.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveToSNSHistogramNexus.cpp
index 0aefec6eb2c..a7861c6ee6e 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveToSNSHistogramNexus.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/SaveToSNSHistogramNexus.cpp
@@ -547,7 +547,7 @@ int SaveToSNSHistogramNexus::WriteGroup(int is_definition) {
         if (!strcmp(current_path, link.targetPath)) {
           // Look for the bank name
           std::string path(current_path);
-          std::string bank("");
+          std::string bank;
 
           size_t a = path.rfind('/');
           if (a != std::string::npos && a > 0) {
@@ -717,8 +717,6 @@ void SaveToSNSHistogramNexus::exec() {
 
   if (ret == NX_ERROR)
     throw std::runtime_error("Nexus error while copying the file.");
-
-  return;
 }
 
 } // namespace NeXus
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/SetScalingPSD.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/SetScalingPSD.cpp
index ab59900d90f..4a4f0d40ef7 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/SetScalingPSD.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/SetScalingPSD.cpp
@@ -65,9 +65,6 @@ void SetScalingPSD::exec() {
   m_scalingOption = getProperty("ScalingOption");
   std::vector<Kernel::V3D> truepos;
   processScalingFile(m_filename, truepos);
-  // calculateDetectorShifts(truepos);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Read the scaling information from a file (e.g. merlin_detector.sca) or from
@@ -307,7 +304,6 @@ void SetScalingPSD::movePos(API::MatrixWorkspace_sptr &WS,
                      "because the scale count is 0! Its value before dividing "
                      "by the count is " << aveScale << "\n";
   }
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Find all detectors in the comp and push the IComp pointers onto m_vectDet
@@ -321,13 +317,12 @@ void SetScalingPSD::findAll(
     m_vectDet.push_back(comp);
     return;
   }
-  boost::shared_ptr<const ICompAssembly> asmb =
-      boost::dynamic_pointer_cast<const ICompAssembly>(comp);
-  if (asmb)
+  auto asmb = boost::dynamic_pointer_cast<const ICompAssembly>(comp);
+  if (asmb) {
     for (int i = 0; i < asmb->nelements(); i++) {
       findAll((*asmb)[i]);
     }
-  return;
+  }
 }
 
 /** Read detector true positions from raw file
diff --git a/Framework/DataHandling/src/XmlHandler.cpp b/Framework/DataHandling/src/XmlHandler.cpp
index 892a1789a69..0882d5e473f 100644
--- a/Framework/DataHandling/src/XmlHandler.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataHandling/src/XmlHandler.cpp
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ std::string XmlHandler::get_text_from_tag(const std::string &xpath) {
   Poco::XML::NodeIterator it(pDoc, Poco::XML::NodeFilter::SHOW_ELEMENT);
   Poco::XML::Node *pNode = it.nextNode();
   Poco::XML::Node *detectorNode = pNode->getNodeByPath(xpath);
-  std::string value("");
+  std::string value;
   if (detectorNode)
     value = detectorNode->innerText();
   return value;
diff --git a/Framework/DataObjects/inc/MantidDataObjects/MDBoxBase.h b/Framework/DataObjects/inc/MantidDataObjects/MDBoxBase.h
index e2b92a61f89..bfe2f292b93 100644
--- a/Framework/DataObjects/inc/MantidDataObjects/MDBoxBase.h
+++ b/Framework/DataObjects/inc/MantidDataObjects/MDBoxBase.h
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ public:
   //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   /** Returns the extents as a string, for convenience */
   std::string getExtentsStr() const {
-    std::string mess("");
+    std::string mess;
     size_t ndm1 = nd - 1;
     if (ndm1 > 32)
       return mess;
diff --git a/Framework/DataObjects/src/EventList.cpp b/Framework/DataObjects/src/EventList.cpp
index 3c9ae90d04a..4b65d0b195a 100644
--- a/Framework/DataObjects/src/EventList.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataObjects/src/EventList.cpp
@@ -4070,8 +4070,6 @@ void EventList::splitByFullTimeHelper(Kernel::TimeSplitterType &splitter,
     if (itev == itev_end)
       break;
   } // END-WHILE Splitter
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -4128,8 +4126,6 @@ void EventList::splitByFullTime(Kernel::TimeSplitterType &splitter,
       break;
     }
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -4238,7 +4234,7 @@ std::string EventList::splitByFullTimeMatrixSplitter(
     opeventlist->switchTo(eventType);
   }
 
-  std::string debugmessage("");
+  std::string debugmessage;
 
   // Do nothing if there are no entries
   if (vecgroups.empty()) {
@@ -4332,8 +4328,6 @@ void EventList::splitByPulseTimeHelper(Kernel::TimeSplitterType &splitter,
     if (itev == itev_end)
       break;
   } // END-WHILE Splitter
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -4377,8 +4371,6 @@ void EventList::splitByPulseTime(Kernel::TimeSplitterType &splitter,
       break;
     }
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/Framework/DataObjects/src/SpecialWorkspace2D.cpp b/Framework/DataObjects/src/SpecialWorkspace2D.cpp
index b17c8bf4a23..9c444f0c46b 100644
--- a/Framework/DataObjects/src/SpecialWorkspace2D.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataObjects/src/SpecialWorkspace2D.cpp
@@ -222,8 +222,6 @@ void SpecialWorkspace2D::binaryOperation(
     throw std::invalid_argument("Invalid Operator");
     break;
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -243,8 +241,6 @@ void SpecialWorkspace2D::binaryOperation(const unsigned int operatortype) {
     throw std::invalid_argument("Invalid Operator");
     break;
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /** AND operator
@@ -263,8 +259,6 @@ void SpecialWorkspace2D::binaryAND(
       this->dataY(i)[0] += y2;
     }
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /** OR operator
@@ -291,8 +285,6 @@ if (y1 < 1.0E-10 && y2 < 1.0E-10){
 }
 */
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Excluded Or operator
@@ -312,8 +304,6 @@ void SpecialWorkspace2D::binaryXOR(
       this->dataY(i)[0] = 1.0;
     }
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -329,8 +319,6 @@ void SpecialWorkspace2D::binaryNOT() {
       this->dataY(i)[0] = 0.0;
     }
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -414,8 +402,6 @@ void SpecialWorkspace2D::copyFrom(
 
   // Copy detector map
   this->detID_to_WI = sourcews->detID_to_WI;
-
-  return;
 }
 
 } // namespace Mantid
diff --git a/Framework/DataObjects/src/SplittersWorkspace.cpp b/Framework/DataObjects/src/SplittersWorkspace.cpp
index 4c5e498bc2b..d2f33a3af62 100644
--- a/Framework/DataObjects/src/SplittersWorkspace.cpp
+++ b/Framework/DataObjects/src/SplittersWorkspace.cpp
@@ -30,8 +30,6 @@ void SplittersWorkspace::addSplitter(
   row << splitter.start().totalNanoseconds();
   row << splitter.stop().totalNanoseconds();
   row << splitter.index();
-
-  return;
 }
 
 Kernel::SplittingInterval SplittersWorkspace::getSplitter(size_t index) {
diff --git a/Framework/Geometry/inc/MantidGeometry/Instrument/Component.h b/Framework/Geometry/inc/MantidGeometry/Instrument/Component.h
index cc035fc3f1f..72b7f492039 100644
--- a/Framework/Geometry/inc/MantidGeometry/Instrument/Component.h
+++ b/Framework/Geometry/inc/MantidGeometry/Instrument/Component.h
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@ public:
 
   std::string getParameterAsString(const std::string &pname,
                                    bool recursive = true) const override {
-    std::string retVal = "";
+    std::string retVal;
     if (m_map) {
       retVal = m_map->getString(this, pname, recursive);
     }
diff --git a/Framework/Geometry/src/Crystal/UnitCell.cpp b/Framework/Geometry/src/Crystal/UnitCell.cpp
index b468caa737f..6ffbc5b7ec2 100644
--- a/Framework/Geometry/src/Crystal/UnitCell.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Geometry/src/Crystal/UnitCell.cpp
@@ -512,7 +512,6 @@ void UnitCell::calculateG() {
   G[1][0] = G[0][1];
   G[2][0] = G[0][2];
   G[2][1] = G[1][2];
-  return;
 }
 
 /// Private function to calculate #Gstar matrix
@@ -526,7 +525,6 @@ void UnitCell::calculateGstar() {
   if (Gstar.Invert() == 0) {
     throw std::range_error("UnitCell not properly initialized");
   }
-  return;
 }
 
 /// Private function to calculate reciprocal lattice parameters
@@ -560,7 +558,6 @@ void UnitCell::calculateB() {
   /// Now let's cache the inverse B
   Binv = B;
   Binv.Invert();
-  return;
 }
 
 /// Recalculate lattice from reciprocal metric tensor (Gstar=transpose(UB)*UB)
@@ -585,7 +582,6 @@ void UnitCell::recalculateFromGstar(const DblMatrix &NewGstar) {
   da[4] = acos(G[0][2] / da[0] / da[2]); // beta
   da[5] = acos(G[0][1] / da[0] / da[1]); // gamma
   calculateB();
-  return;
 }
 
 std::ostream &operator<<(std::ostream &out, const UnitCell &unitCell) {
diff --git a/Framework/Geometry/src/Instrument/Detector.cpp b/Framework/Geometry/src/Instrument/Detector.cpp
index f7d49801a34..697fcf9024b 100644
--- a/Framework/Geometry/src/Instrument/Detector.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Geometry/src/Instrument/Detector.cpp
@@ -154,7 +154,6 @@ bool Detector::isMonitor() const {
  */
 void Detector::markAsMonitor(const bool flag) {
   m_isMonitor = flag;
-  return;
 }
 
 } // Namespace Geometry
diff --git a/Framework/Geometry/src/Instrument/DetectorGroup.cpp b/Framework/Geometry/src/Instrument/DetectorGroup.cpp
index 0773fc9385d..e6bb5a16f7d 100644
--- a/Framework/Geometry/src/Instrument/DetectorGroup.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Geometry/src/Instrument/DetectorGroup.cpp
@@ -474,7 +474,7 @@ void DetectorGroup::calculateGroupTopology() const {
 }
 
 std::string DetectorGroup::getName() const {
-  std::string result = "";
+  std::string result;
   DetCollection::const_iterator it;
   for (it = m_detectors.begin(); it != m_detectors.end(); ++it) {
     result += (*it).second->getName() + this->getNameSeparator();
@@ -483,7 +483,7 @@ std::string DetectorGroup::getName() const {
 }
 
 std::string DetectorGroup::getFullName() const {
-  std::string result = "";
+  std::string result;
   DetCollection::const_iterator it;
   for (it = m_detectors.begin(); it != m_detectors.end(); ++it) {
     result += (*it).second->getFullName() + this->getNameSeparator();
diff --git a/Framework/Geometry/src/Instrument/FitParameter.cpp b/Framework/Geometry/src/Instrument/FitParameter.cpp
index 34d34826097..a40a7bfcd0c 100644
--- a/Framework/Geometry/src/Instrument/FitParameter.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Geometry/src/Instrument/FitParameter.cpp
@@ -119,7 +119,6 @@ void FitParameter::printSelf(std::ostream &os) const {
      << m_constraintPenaltyFactor << " , " << m_tie << " , " << m_formula
      << " , " << m_formulaUnit << " , " << m_resultUnit << " , "
      << m_lookUpTable;
-  return;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/Framework/Geometry/src/Instrument/InstrumentDefinitionParser.cpp b/Framework/Geometry/src/Instrument/InstrumentDefinitionParser.cpp
index 741204eb154..ad4df158955 100644
--- a/Framework/Geometry/src/Instrument/InstrumentDefinitionParser.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Geometry/src/Instrument/InstrumentDefinitionParser.cpp
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ void InstrumentDefinitionParser::initialise(const std::string &filename,
  * */
 std::string InstrumentDefinitionParser::getMangledName() {
 
-  std::string retVal = "";
+  std::string retVal;
   // use the xml in preference if available
   auto xml = Poco::trim(m_instrument->getXmlText());
   if (!(xml.empty())) {
@@ -940,7 +940,7 @@ void InstrumentDefinitionParser::readDefaults(Poco::XML::Element *defaults) {
     XMLString s_alongBeam("z");
     XMLString s_pointingUp("y");
     XMLString s_handedness("right");
-    XMLString s_origin("");
+    XMLString s_origin;
 
     // Make extractions from sub elements where possible.
     if (alongElement) {
@@ -1067,7 +1067,7 @@ void InstrumentDefinitionParser::appendAssembly(
       m_instrument
           ->getLogfileCache()); // params specified within specific <location>
 
-  std::string category = "";
+  std::string category;
   if (pType->hasAttribute("is"))
     category = pType->getAttribute("is");
 
@@ -1434,7 +1434,7 @@ void InstrumentDefinitionParser::createStructuredDetector(
   while (pNode) {
     Element *check = static_cast<Element *>(pNode);
     if (pNode->nodeName().compare("type") == 0 && check->hasAttribute("is")) {
-      std::string is = check->getAttribute("is").c_str();
+      std::string is = check->getAttribute("is");
       if (StructuredDetector::compareName(is) &&
           typeName.compare(check->getAttribute("name")) == 0) {
         pElem = check;
@@ -1563,7 +1563,7 @@ void InstrumentDefinitionParser::appendLeaf(Geometry::ICompAssembly *parent,
   std::string typeName = pCompElem->getAttribute("type");
   Element *pType = getTypeElement[typeName];
 
-  std::string category = "";
+  std::string category;
   if (pType->hasAttribute("is"))
     category = pType->getAttribute("is");
 
@@ -2005,12 +2005,12 @@ void InstrumentDefinitionParser::setLogfile(
       continue;
     }
 
-    std::string logfileID = "";
-    std::string value = "";
+    std::string logfileID;
+    std::string value;
 
     std::string type = "double";               // default
     std::string extractSingleValueAs = "mean"; // default
-    std::string eq = "";
+    std::string eq;
 
     Poco::AutoPtr<NodeList> pNLvalue =
         pParamElem->getElementsByTagName("value");
@@ -2093,8 +2093,8 @@ void InstrumentDefinitionParser::setLogfile(
 
     // some processing
 
-    std::string fittingFunction = "";
-    std::string tie = "";
+    std::string fittingFunction;
+    std::string tie;
 
     if (type.compare("fitting") == 0) {
       size_t found = paramName.find(':');
@@ -2199,9 +2199,9 @@ void InstrumentDefinitionParser::setLogfile(
 
     // Check if formula is specified
 
-    std::string formula = "";
-    std::string formulaUnit = "";
-    std::string resultUnit = "";
+    std::string formula;
+    std::string formulaUnit;
+    std::string resultUnit;
 
     if (numberFormula >= 1) {
       Element *pFormula = static_cast<Element *>(pNLFormula->item(0));
@@ -2221,7 +2221,7 @@ void InstrumentDefinitionParser::setLogfile(
         resultUnit = pFormula->getAttribute("result-unit");
     }
     // Check if parameter description is
-    std::string description = "";
+    std::string description;
 
     Poco::AutoPtr<NodeList> pNLDescription =
         pParamElem->getElementsByTagName("description");
@@ -2771,7 +2771,7 @@ InstrumentDefinitionParser::convertLocationsElement(
         "www.mantidproject.org/IDF.");
   }
 
-  std::string name("");
+  std::string name;
   if (pElem->hasAttribute("name")) {
     name = pElem->getAttribute("name");
   }
diff --git a/Framework/Geometry/src/Instrument/ParameterMap.cpp b/Framework/Geometry/src/Instrument/ParameterMap.cpp
index 40d8f2faf22..79f9d06ffd0 100644
--- a/Framework/Geometry/src/Instrument/ParameterMap.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Geometry/src/Instrument/ParameterMap.cpp
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ bool ParameterMap::operator==(const ParameterMap &rhs) const {
 const std::string ParameterMap::getDescription(const std::string &compName,
                                                const std::string &name) const {
   pmap_cit it;
-  std::string result("");
+  std::string result;
   for (it = m_map.begin(); it != m_map.end(); ++it) {
     if (compName.compare(((const IComponent *)(*it).first)->getName()) == 0) {
       boost::shared_ptr<Parameter> param =
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ const std::string
 ParameterMap::getShortDescription(const std::string &compName,
                                   const std::string &name) const {
   pmap_cit it;
-  std::string result("");
+  std::string result;
   for (it = m_map.begin(); it != m_map.end(); ++it) {
     if (compName.compare(((const IComponent *)(*it).first)->getName()) == 0) {
       boost::shared_ptr<Parameter> param =
diff --git a/Framework/Geometry/src/MDGeometry/MDHistoDimension.cpp b/Framework/Geometry/src/MDGeometry/MDHistoDimension.cpp
index c21f5d0d1ec..dc4c70b8b48 100644
--- a/Framework/Geometry/src/MDGeometry/MDHistoDimension.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Geometry/src/MDGeometry/MDHistoDimension.cpp
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ std::string MDHistoDimension::toXMLString() const {
   DOMWriter writer;
   writer.writeNode(xmlstream, pDoc);
 
-  return xmlstream.str().c_str();
+  return xmlstream.str();
 }
 }
 }
diff --git a/Framework/Geometry/src/Math/Acomp.cpp b/Framework/Geometry/src/Math/Acomp.cpp
index 4d511eee020..d8f85ff173c 100644
--- a/Framework/Geometry/src/Math/Acomp.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Geometry/src/Math/Acomp.cpp
@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@ positive value
     S = -1;
     V = -A;
   }
-  return;
 }
 
 //
@@ -294,7 +293,6 @@ Deletes everything in Composite
 */
 {
   Comp.clear();
-  return;
 }
 
 void Acomp::addComp(const Acomp &AX)
@@ -335,7 +333,6 @@ Assumes that the component is sorted and inserts appropiately.
   cpt = std::lower_bound(Comp.begin(), Comp.end(), AX);
   if (cpt == Comp.end() || *cpt != AX) // Only insert if new
     Comp.insert(cpt, AX);
-  return;
 }
 
 void Acomp::addUnitItem(const int Item)
@@ -349,7 +346,6 @@ Adds a unit to the Unit list (if it doesn't exist).
   ipt = std::lower_bound(Units.begin(), Units.end(), Item);
   if (ipt == Units.end() || *ipt != Item) // Only insert if new
     Units.insert(ipt, Item);
-  return;
 }
 
 void Acomp::processIntersection(const std::string &Ln)
@@ -415,7 +411,6 @@ must not contain a toplevel +
       }
     }
   }
-  return;
 }
 
 void Acomp::processUnion(const std::string &Ln)
@@ -474,7 +469,6 @@ Units are sorted after this function is returned.
     }
     addComp(AX); // add component
   }
-  return;
 }
 
 int Acomp::copySimilar(const Acomp &A)
@@ -523,7 +517,6 @@ adds it to the main Units object.
     }
   }
   std::sort(Units.begin(), Units.end());
-  return;
 }
 
 void Acomp::assignDNF(const std::vector<int> &Index, const std::vector<BnId> &A)
@@ -553,7 +546,6 @@ A. This will make the form DNF.
     Px.addUnit(Index, *vc);
     addComp(Px);
   }
-  return;
 }
 
 void Acomp::assignCNF(const std::vector<int> &Index, const std::vector<BnId> &A)
@@ -586,7 +578,6 @@ A. This will make the form DNF.
     Px.addUnit(Index, X);
     addComp(Px);
   }
-  return;
 }
 
 // -------------------------------------
@@ -604,7 +595,6 @@ Decends down the Comp Tree.
   std::for_each(Comp.begin(), Comp.end(), std::mem_fun_ref(&Acomp::Sort));
   // use the sorted components to sort our component list
   std::sort(Comp.begin(), Comp.end());
-  return;
 }
 
 int Acomp::makeReadOnce()
@@ -731,7 +721,6 @@ literals
   std::vector<Acomp>::const_iterator cc;
   for (cc = Comp.begin(); cc != Comp.end(); ++cc)
     cc->getAbsLiterals(literalMap);
-  return;
 }
 
 void Acomp::getLiterals(std::map<int, int> &literalMap) const
@@ -759,7 +748,6 @@ literals
   // Doesn't work because literal map is a reference
   //  for_each(Comp.begin(),Comp.end(),
   // std::bind2nd(std::mem_fun(&Acomp::getLiterals),literalMap));
-  return;
 }
 
 int Acomp::isSimple() const
@@ -1475,8 +1463,7 @@ given a inner bracket expand that etc.
     processIntersection(Ln);
   else
     processUnion(Ln);
-  sort(Units.begin(), Units.end()); /// Resort the list.
-  return;
+  sort(Units.begin(), Units.end());
 }
 
 std::pair<int, int> Acomp::size() const
@@ -1528,7 +1515,6 @@ ab -> a'+b'
 
   for_each(Comp.begin(), Comp.end(), std::mem_fun_ref(&Acomp::complement));
   sort(Comp.begin(), Comp.end());
-  return;
 }
 
 void Acomp::writeFull(std::ostream &OXF, const int Indent) const
@@ -1549,7 +1535,6 @@ Real pretty print out statement  :-)
   for (vc = Comp.begin(); vc != Comp.end(); ++vc) {
     vc->writeFull(OXF, Indent + 2);
   }
-  return;
 }
 
 std::string Acomp::display() const
@@ -1642,7 +1627,6 @@ PI and Grid :
       std::cerr << ((Grid[pc][ic]) ? " 1" : " 0");
     std::cerr << '\n';
   }
-  return;
 }
 
 } // NAMESPACE Geometry
diff --git a/Framework/Geometry/src/Math/BnId.cpp b/Framework/Geometry/src/Math/BnId.cpp
index cdfabdde028..84088af0014 100644
--- a/Framework/Geometry/src/Math/BnId.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Geometry/src/Math/BnId.cpp
@@ -224,7 +224,6 @@ void BnId::setCounters()
     else if (*vc == 0)
       Znum++;
   }
-  return;
 }
 
 int BnId::intValue() const
@@ -255,7 +254,6 @@ void BnId::mapState(const std::vector<int> &Index,
   int i(0);
   for (vc = Index.begin(); vc != Index.end(); ++vc, ++i)
     Base[*vc] = (Tval[i] == 1) ? 1 : 0;
-  return;
 }
 
 std::pair<int, BnId> BnId::makeCombination(const BnId &A) const
@@ -321,7 +319,6 @@ void BnId::reverse()
   transform(Tval.begin(), Tval.end(), Tval.begin(),
             std::bind2nd(std::multiplies<int>(), -1));
   setCounters();
-  return;
 }
 
 std::string BnId::display() const
diff --git a/Framework/Geometry/src/Math/PolyBase.cpp b/Framework/Geometry/src/Math/PolyBase.cpp
index d0bb24b5411..ea3174fa09d 100644
--- a/Framework/Geometry/src/Math/PolyBase.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Geometry/src/Math/PolyBase.cpp
@@ -362,7 +362,6 @@ void PolyBase::compress(const double epsilon)
     iDegree = 0;
 
   afCoeff.resize(iDegree + 1);
-  return;
 }
 
 void PolyBase::divide(const PolyBase &pD, PolyBase &pQ, PolyBase &pR,
@@ -406,7 +405,6 @@ void PolyBase::divide(const PolyBase &pD, PolyBase &pQ, PolyBase &pR,
   pQ.setDegree(0);
   pQ[0] = 0.0;
   pR = *this;
-  return;
 }
 
 std::vector<double> PolyBase::realRoots(const double epsilon)
@@ -583,7 +581,6 @@ void PolyBase::write(std::ostream &OX) const
 */
 {
   copy(afCoeff.begin(), afCoeff.end(), std::ostream_iterator<double>(OX, " "));
-  return;
 }
 
 } // NAMESPACE  mathLevel
diff --git a/Framework/Geometry/src/Math/RotCounter.cpp b/Framework/Geometry/src/Math/RotCounter.cpp
index 699bb54596b..7fe02d4abe9 100644
--- a/Framework/Geometry/src/Math/RotCounter.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Geometry/src/Math/RotCounter.cpp
@@ -182,7 +182,6 @@ void RotaryCounter::write(std::ostream &OX) const
   OX << " ";
   copy(RC.begin(), RC.end() - 1, std::ostream_iterator<int>(OX, ":"));
   OX << RC.back() << " ";
-  return;
 }
 }
 }
diff --git a/Framework/Geometry/src/Objects/Object.cpp b/Framework/Geometry/src/Objects/Object.cpp
index 2fb881e7aae..da55d68945e 100644
--- a/Framework/Geometry/src/Objects/Object.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Geometry/src/Objects/Object.cpp
@@ -146,7 +146,6 @@ void Object::convertComplement(const std::map<int, Object> &MList)
 
 {
   this->procString(this->cellStr(MList));
-  return;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -593,7 +592,6 @@ void Object::print() const {
     std::cout << (*mc) << " ";
   }
   std::cout << '\n';
-  return;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -602,7 +600,6 @@ void Object::print() const {
 void Object::makeComplement() {
   std::unique_ptr<Rule> NCG = procComp(std::move(TopRule));
   TopRule = std::move(NCG);
-  return;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -611,7 +608,6 @@ void Object::makeComplement() {
 void Object::printTree() const {
   std::cout << "Name == " << ObjNum << '\n';
   std::cout << TopRule->display() << '\n';
-  return;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -650,7 +646,6 @@ void Object::write(std::ostream &OX) const {
   cx.precision(10);
   cx << str();
   Mantid::Kernel::Strings::writeMCNPX(cx.str(), OX);
-  return;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/Framework/Geometry/src/Objects/RuleItems.cpp b/Framework/Geometry/src/Objects/RuleItems.cpp
index 7bf532c614e..f4d232b628f 100644
--- a/Framework/Geometry/src/Objects/RuleItems.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Geometry/src/Objects/RuleItems.cpp
@@ -176,7 +176,6 @@ void Intersection::setLeaves(std::unique_ptr<Rule> aR, std::unique_ptr<Rule> bR)
     A->setParent(this);
   if (B)
     B->setParent(this);
-  return;
 }
 
 void Intersection::setLeaf(std::unique_ptr<Rule> nR, const int side)
@@ -198,7 +197,6 @@ void Intersection::setLeaf(std::unique_ptr<Rule> nR, const int side)
     if (A)
       A->setParent(this);
   }
-  return;
 }
 
 int Intersection::findLeaf(const Rule *R) const
@@ -492,7 +490,6 @@ void Union::setLeaves(std::unique_ptr<Rule> aR, std::unique_ptr<Rule> bR)
     A->setParent(this);
   if (B)
     B->setParent(this);
-  return;
 }
 
 int Union::findLeaf(const Rule *R) const
@@ -708,7 +705,6 @@ void SurfPoint::setLeaf(std::unique_ptr<Rule> nR, const int)
   SurfPoint *newX = dynamic_cast<SurfPoint *>(nR.get());
   if (newX)
     *this = *newX;
-  return;
 }
 
 void SurfPoint::setLeaves(std::unique_ptr<Rule> aR, std::unique_ptr<Rule>)
@@ -722,7 +718,6 @@ void SurfPoint::setLeaves(std::unique_ptr<Rule> aR, std::unique_ptr<Rule>)
   SurfPoint *newX = dynamic_cast<SurfPoint *>(aR.get());
   if (newX)
     *this = *newX;
-  return;
 }
 
 int SurfPoint::findLeaf(const Rule *A) const
@@ -755,7 +750,6 @@ void SurfPoint::setKeyN(const int Ky)
 {
   sign = (Ky < 0) ? -1 : 1;
   keyN = sign * Ky;
-  return;
 }
 
 void SurfPoint::setKey(const boost::shared_ptr<Surface> &Spoint)
@@ -765,7 +759,6 @@ void SurfPoint::setKey(const boost::shared_ptr<Surface> &Spoint)
 */
 {
   m_key = Spoint;
-  return;
 }
 
 int SurfPoint::simplify()
@@ -988,7 +981,6 @@ void CompObj::setObjN(const int Ky)
 */
 {
   objN = Ky;
-  return;
 }
 
 void CompObj::setObj(Object *val)
@@ -998,7 +990,6 @@ void CompObj::setObj(Object *val)
 */
 {
   key = val;
-  return;
 }
 
 void CompObj::setLeaf(std::unique_ptr<Rule> aR, const int)
@@ -1013,7 +1004,6 @@ void CompObj::setLeaf(std::unique_ptr<Rule> aR, const int)
   // Make a copy
   if (newX)
     *this = *newX;
-  return;
 }
 
 void CompObj::setLeaves(std::unique_ptr<Rule> aR, std::unique_ptr<Rule> oR)
@@ -1029,7 +1019,6 @@ void CompObj::setLeaves(std::unique_ptr<Rule> aR, std::unique_ptr<Rule> oR)
   CompObj *newX = dynamic_cast<CompObj *>(aR.get());
   if (newX)
     *this = *newX;
-  return;
 }
 
 Rule *CompObj::findKey(const int i)
@@ -1280,7 +1269,6 @@ void BoolValue::setLeaf(std::unique_ptr<Rule> aR, const int)
   BoolValue *newX = dynamic_cast<BoolValue *>(aR.get());
   if (newX)
     *this = *newX;
-  return;
 }
 
 void BoolValue::setLeaves(std::unique_ptr<Rule> aR, std::unique_ptr<Rule> oR)
@@ -1296,7 +1284,6 @@ void BoolValue::setLeaves(std::unique_ptr<Rule> aR, std::unique_ptr<Rule> oR)
   BoolValue *newX = dynamic_cast<BoolValue *>(aR.get());
   if (newX)
     *this = *newX;
-  return;
 }
 
 int BoolValue::findLeaf(const Rule *A) const { return (this == A) ? 0 : -1; }
@@ -1456,7 +1443,6 @@ void CompGrp::setLeaf(std::unique_ptr<Rule> nR, const int side)
   A = std::move(nR);
   if (A)
     A->setParent(this);
-  return;
 }
 
 void CompGrp::setLeaves(std::unique_ptr<Rule> aR, std::unique_ptr<Rule> oR)
@@ -1471,7 +1457,6 @@ void CompGrp::setLeaves(std::unique_ptr<Rule> aR, std::unique_ptr<Rule> oR)
   A = std::move(aR);
   if (A)
     A->setParent(this);
-  return;
 }
 
 Rule *CompGrp::findKey(const int i)
diff --git a/Framework/Geometry/src/Objects/Rules.cpp b/Framework/Geometry/src/Objects/Rules.cpp
index f219c4ee269..f3d0c0a6b03 100644
--- a/Framework/Geometry/src/Objects/Rules.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Geometry/src/Objects/Rules.cpp
@@ -507,7 +507,6 @@ void Rule::makeParents()
       }
     }
   }
-  return;
 }
 
 int Rule::checkParents() const
diff --git a/Framework/Geometry/src/Objects/Track.cpp b/Framework/Geometry/src/Objects/Track.cpp
index ca4a9b17bc3..8467f9a05f4 100644
--- a/Framework/Geometry/src/Objects/Track.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Geometry/src/Objects/Track.cpp
@@ -95,7 +95,6 @@ void Track::removeCojoins() {
       ++nextNode;
     }
   }
-  return;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -217,8 +216,7 @@ void Track::buildLink() {
     }
   }
 
-  m_surfPoints.clear(); // While vector
-  return;
+  m_surfPoints.clear();
 }
 
 } // NAMESPACE Geometry
diff --git a/Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/Cone.cpp b/Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/Cone.cpp
index 9c78500330b..065e725557f 100644
--- a/Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/Cone.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/Cone.cpp
@@ -164,8 +164,7 @@ void Cone::setBaseEqn()
   BaseEqn[6] = 2.0 * (Normal[0] * CdotN - Centre[0] * c2);      // G x
   BaseEqn[7] = 2.0 * (Normal[1] * CdotN - Centre[1] * c2);      // H y
   BaseEqn[8] = 2.0 * (Normal[2] * CdotN - Centre[2] * c2);      // J z
-  BaseEqn[9] = c2 * Centre.scalar_prod(Centre) - CdotN * CdotN; // K const
-  return;
+  BaseEqn[9] = c2 * Centre.scalar_prod(Centre) - CdotN * CdotN;
 }
 
 void Cone::rotate(const Kernel::Matrix<double> &R)
@@ -177,7 +176,6 @@ void Cone::rotate(const Kernel::Matrix<double> &R)
   Centre.rotate(R);
   Normal.rotate(R);
   setBaseEqn();
-  return;
 }
 
 void Cone::displace(const Kernel::V3D &A)
@@ -189,7 +187,6 @@ void Cone::displace(const Kernel::V3D &A)
 {
   Centre += A;
   setBaseEqn();
-  return;
 }
 
 void Cone::setCentre(const Kernel::V3D &A)
@@ -200,7 +197,6 @@ void Cone::setCentre(const Kernel::V3D &A)
 {
   Centre = A;
   setBaseEqn();
-  return;
 }
 
 void Cone::setNorm(const Kernel::V3D &A)
@@ -214,7 +210,6 @@ void Cone::setNorm(const Kernel::V3D &A)
     Normal.normalize();
     setBaseEqn();
   }
-  return;
 }
 
 void Cone::setAngle(const double A)
@@ -227,7 +222,6 @@ void Cone::setAngle(const double A)
   alpha = A;
   cangle = cos(M_PI * alpha / 180.0);
   setBaseEqn();
-  return;
 }
 
 void Cone::setTanAngle(const double A)
@@ -240,7 +234,6 @@ void Cone::setTanAngle(const double A)
   cangle = 1.0 / sqrt(A * A + 1.0); // convert tan(theta) to cos(theta)
   alpha = acos(cangle) * 180.0 / M_PI;
   setBaseEqn();
-  return;
 }
 
 double Cone::distance(const Kernel::V3D &Pt) const
@@ -344,7 +337,6 @@ void Cone::write(std::ostream &OX) const
   const double TA = tan((M_PI * alpha) / 180.0); // tan^2(angle)
   cx << TA *TA;
   Mantid::Kernel::Strings::writeMCNPX(cx.str(), OX);
-  return;
 }
 
 void Cone::getBoundingBox(double &xmax, double &ymax, double &zmax,
diff --git a/Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/Cylinder.cpp b/Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/Cylinder.cpp
index 2dc5b957dac..ae7e58a21d1 100644
--- a/Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/Cylinder.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/Cylinder.cpp
@@ -184,7 +184,6 @@ void Cylinder::setNvec()
       return;
     }
   }
-  return;
 }
 
 void Cylinder::rotate(const Kernel::Matrix<double> &MA)
@@ -199,7 +198,6 @@ void Cylinder::rotate(const Kernel::Matrix<double> &MA)
   Normal.normalize();
   setNvec();
   Quadratic::rotate(MA);
-  return;
 }
 
 void Cylinder::displace(const Kernel::V3D &Pt)
@@ -214,7 +212,6 @@ void Cylinder::displace(const Kernel::V3D &Pt)
   } else
     Centre += Pt;
   Quadratic::displace(Pt);
-  return;
 }
 
 void Cylinder::setCentre(const Kernel::V3D &A)
@@ -225,7 +222,6 @@ void Cylinder::setCentre(const Kernel::V3D &A)
 {
   Centre = A;
   setBaseEqn();
-  return;
 }
 
 void Cylinder::setNorm(const Kernel::V3D &A)
@@ -239,7 +235,6 @@ void Cylinder::setNorm(const Kernel::V3D &A)
   Normal.normalize();
   setBaseEqn();
   setNvec();
-  return;
 }
 
 void Cylinder::setBaseEqn()
@@ -258,9 +253,7 @@ void Cylinder::setBaseEqn()
   BaseEqn[6] = 2.0 * (Normal[0] * CdotN - Centre[0]); // G x
   BaseEqn[7] = 2.0 * (Normal[1] * CdotN - Centre[1]); // H y
   BaseEqn[8] = 2.0 * (Normal[2] * CdotN - Centre[2]); // J z
-  BaseEqn[9] =
-      Centre.scalar_prod(Centre) - CdotN * CdotN - Radius * Radius; // K const
-  return;
+  BaseEqn[9] = Centre.scalar_prod(Centre) - CdotN * CdotN - Radius * Radius;
 }
 
 double Cylinder::distance(const Kernel::V3D &A) const
@@ -323,7 +316,6 @@ void Cylinder::write(std::ostream &OX) const
   }
 
   Mantid::Kernel::Strings::writeMCNPX(cx.str(), OX);
-  return;
 }
 
 double Cylinder::lineIntersect(const Kernel::V3D &Pt,
@@ -351,7 +343,6 @@ void Cylinder::print() const
   std::cout << "Axis ==" << Normal << " ";
   std::cout << "Centre == " << Centre << " ";
   std::cout << "Radius == " << Radius << '\n';
-  return;
 }
 
 void Cylinder::getBoundingBox(double &xmax, double &ymax, double &zmax,
diff --git a/Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/General.cpp b/Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/General.cpp
index c2421b808ea..4cdbdd36107 100644
--- a/Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/General.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/General.cpp
@@ -88,9 +88,7 @@ void General::setBaseEqn()
   Set baseEqn (nothing to do) as it is
   already a baseEqn driven system
 */
-{
-  return;
-}
+{}
 
 void General::getBoundingBox(double &xmax, double &ymax, double &zmax,
                              double &xmin, double &ymin, double &zmin) {
diff --git a/Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/Line.cpp b/Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/Line.cpp
index 84da47198a4..34e92fd7bc3 100644
--- a/Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/Line.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/Line.cpp
@@ -84,7 +84,6 @@ object.
   Origin.rotate(MA);
   Direct.rotate(MA);
   Direct.normalize();
-  return;
 }
 
 void Line::displace(const Kernel::V3D &Pt)
@@ -94,7 +93,6 @@ Apply a displacement Pt
 */
 {
   Origin += Pt;
-  return;
 }
 
 int Line::lambdaPair(
@@ -279,7 +277,6 @@ Print statement for debugging
 */
 {
   std::cout << "Line == " << Origin << " :: " << Direct << '\n';
-  return;
 }
 
 } // NAMESPACE MonteCarlo
diff --git a/Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/LineIntersectVisit.cpp b/Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/LineIntersectVisit.cpp
index 16590cab17e..f74a62b56ad 100644
--- a/Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/LineIntersectVisit.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/LineIntersectVisit.cpp
@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@ void LineIntersectVisit::Accept(const Quadratic &Surf)
 {
   ATrack.intersect(PtOut, Surf);
   procTrack();
-  return;
 }
 
 void LineIntersectVisit::Accept(const Plane &Surf)
@@ -52,7 +51,6 @@ void LineIntersectVisit::Accept(const Plane &Surf)
 {
   ATrack.intersect(PtOut, Surf);
   procTrack();
-  return;
 }
 
 void LineIntersectVisit::Accept(const Cone &Surf)
@@ -63,7 +61,6 @@ void LineIntersectVisit::Accept(const Cone &Surf)
 {
   ATrack.intersect(PtOut, Surf);
   procTrack();
-  return;
 }
 
 void LineIntersectVisit::Accept(const Cylinder &Surf)
@@ -74,7 +71,6 @@ void LineIntersectVisit::Accept(const Cylinder &Surf)
 {
   ATrack.intersect(PtOut, Surf);
   procTrack();
-  return;
 }
 
 void LineIntersectVisit::Accept(const Sphere &Surf)
@@ -85,7 +81,6 @@ void LineIntersectVisit::Accept(const Sphere &Surf)
 {
   ATrack.intersect(PtOut, Surf);
   procTrack();
-  return;
 }
 
 void LineIntersectVisit::Accept(const General &Surf)
@@ -96,7 +91,6 @@ void LineIntersectVisit::Accept(const General &Surf)
 {
   ATrack.intersect(PtOut, Surf);
   procTrack();
-  return;
 }
 
 void LineIntersectVisit::procTrack()
@@ -109,7 +103,6 @@ void LineIntersectVisit::procTrack()
   DOut.resize(PtOut.size());
   std::transform(PtOut.begin(), PtOut.end(), DOut.begin(),
                  boost::bind(&Kernel::V3D::distance, ATrack.getOrigin(), _1));
-  return;
 }
 
 } // NAMESPACE MonteCarlo
diff --git a/Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/Plane.cpp b/Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/Plane.cpp
index f7adc255663..6429348b004 100644
--- a/Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/Plane.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/Plane.cpp
@@ -155,7 +155,6 @@ void Plane::rotate(const Kernel::Matrix<double> &MA)
   NormV.rotate(MA);
   NormV.normalize();
   Quadratic::rotate(MA);
-  return;
 }
 
 void Plane::displace(const Kernel::V3D &Sp)
@@ -167,7 +166,6 @@ void Plane::displace(const Kernel::V3D &Sp)
 {
   Dist += NormV.scalar_prod(Sp);
   Quadratic::displace(Sp);
-  return;
 }
 
 double Plane::distance(const Kernel::V3D &A) const
@@ -236,7 +234,6 @@ void Plane::print() const
 {
   Quadratic::print();
   std::cout << "NormV == " << NormV << " : " << Dist << '\n';
-  return;
 }
 
 std::size_t Plane::planeType() const
@@ -267,8 +264,7 @@ void Plane::setBaseEqn() {
   BaseEqn[6] = NormV[0]; // G x
   BaseEqn[7] = NormV[1]; // H y
   BaseEqn[8] = NormV[2]; // J z
-  BaseEqn[9] = -Dist;    // K const
-  return;
+  BaseEqn[9] = -Dist;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -291,7 +287,6 @@ void Plane::write(std::ostream &OX) const {
        << "xyz"[ptype - 1] << " " << Dist;
 
   Mantid::Kernel::Strings::writeMCNPX(cx.str(), OX);
-  return;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/Quadratic.cpp b/Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/Quadratic.cpp
index c276ad9dcc8..d95debcf5fd 100644
--- a/Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/Quadratic.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/Quadratic.cpp
@@ -115,7 +115,6 @@ void Quadratic::matrixForm(Kernel::Matrix<double> &A, Kernel::V3D &B,
   for (int i = 0; i < 3; i++)
     B[i] = BaseEqn[6 + i];
   C = BaseEqn[9];
-  return;
 }
 
 double Quadratic::distance(const Kernel::V3D &Pt) const
@@ -277,7 +276,6 @@ void Quadratic::displace(const Kernel::V3D &Pt)
       -2 * BaseEqn[1] * Pt[1] - BaseEqn[3] * Pt[0] - BaseEqn[5] * Pt[2];
   BaseEqn[8] +=
       -2 * BaseEqn[2] * Pt[2] - BaseEqn[4] * Pt[0] - BaseEqn[5] * Pt[1];
-  return;
 }
 
 void Quadratic::rotate(const Kernel::Matrix<double> &MX)
@@ -321,7 +319,6 @@ void Quadratic::rotate(const Kernel::Matrix<double> &MX)
 
   for (int i = 0; i < 9; i++) // Item 9 left alone
     BaseEqn[i] = B[i];
-  return;
 }
 
 void Quadratic::print() const
@@ -334,7 +331,6 @@ void Quadratic::print() const
   for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++)
     std::cout << BaseEqn[i] << " ";
   std::cout << '\n';
-  return;
 }
 
 void Quadratic::write(std::ostream &OX) const
@@ -356,7 +352,6 @@ void Quadratic::write(std::ostream &OX) const
   for (int i = 6; i < 10; i++)
     cx << " " << BaseEqn[i] << " ";
   Mantid::Kernel::Strings::writeMCNPX(cx.str(), OX);
-  return;
 }
 
 std::unique_ptr<Quadratic> Quadratic::clone() const {
diff --git a/Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/Sphere.cpp b/Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/Sphere.cpp
index bc0ddb1ab39..20b7c075c87 100644
--- a/Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/Sphere.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/Sphere.cpp
@@ -170,7 +170,6 @@ Apply a shift of the centre
 {
   Centre += Pt;
   Quadratic::displace(Pt);
-  return;
 }
 
 void Sphere::rotate(const Kernel::Matrix<double> &MA)
@@ -181,7 +180,6 @@ Apply a Rotation matrix
 {
   Centre.rotate(MA);
   Quadratic::rotate(MA);
-  return;
 }
 
 double Sphere::centreToPoint(const V3D &pt) const {
@@ -201,7 +199,6 @@ Set the centre point
 {
   Centre = A;
   setBaseEqn();
-  return;
 }
 
 void Sphere::setBaseEqn()
@@ -219,8 +216,7 @@ Sets an equation of type (general sphere)
   BaseEqn[6] = -2.0 * Centre[0];                             // G x
   BaseEqn[7] = -2.0 * Centre[1];                             // H y
   BaseEqn[8] = -2.0 * Centre[2];                             // J z
-  BaseEqn[9] = Centre.scalar_prod(Centre) - Radius * Radius; // K const
-  return;
+  BaseEqn[9] = Centre.scalar_prod(Centre) - Radius * Radius;
 }
 
 void Sphere::write(std::ostream &OX) const
@@ -239,7 +235,6 @@ Object of write is to output a MCNPX plane info
     cx << "s " << Centre << " " << Radius;
   }
   Mantid::Kernel::Strings::writeMCNPX(cx.str(), OX);
-  return;
 }
 /**
 * Calculates the bounding box for the sphere and returns the bounding box
diff --git a/Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/Surface.cpp b/Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/Surface.cpp
index fc8312e762c..b5610a3ffd8 100644
--- a/Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/Surface.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/Surface.cpp
@@ -63,7 +63,6 @@ void Surface::print() const
 */
 {
   std::cout << "Surf == " << Name << '\n';
-  return;
 }
 
 void Surface::writeHeader(std::ostream &OX) const
@@ -74,7 +73,6 @@ void Surface::writeHeader(std::ostream &OX) const
 */
 {
   OX << Name << " ";
-  return;
 }
 
 void Surface::write(std::ostream &out) const
diff --git a/Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/SurfaceFactory.cpp b/Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/SurfaceFactory.cpp
index e8d13480fb0..fa809a8825d 100644
--- a/Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/SurfaceFactory.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/SurfaceFactory.cpp
@@ -83,8 +83,6 @@ void SurfaceFactory::registerSurface()
   ID['g'] = "General";
   ID['p'] = "Plane";
   ID['s'] = "Sphere";
-  // ID['t']="Torus";
-  return;
 }
 
 namespace {
diff --git a/Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/Torus.cpp b/Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/Torus.cpp
index 20836262619..f537c08e25b 100644
--- a/Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/Torus.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Geometry/src/Surfaces/Torus.cpp
@@ -176,7 +176,6 @@ void Torus::rotate(const Kernel::Matrix<double> &R)
 {
   Centre.rotate(R);
   Normal.rotate(R);
-  return;
 }
 
 void Torus::displace(const Kernel::V3D &A)
@@ -187,7 +186,6 @@ void Torus::displace(const Kernel::V3D &A)
 */
 {
   Centre += A;
-  return;
 }
 
 void Torus::setCentre(const Kernel::V3D &A)
@@ -197,7 +195,6 @@ void Torus::setCentre(const Kernel::V3D &A)
 */
 {
   Centre = A;
-  return;
 }
 
 void Torus::setNorm(const Kernel::V3D &A)
@@ -210,7 +207,6 @@ void Torus::setNorm(const Kernel::V3D &A)
     Normal = A;
     Normal.normalize();
   }
-  return;
 }
 
 Kernel::V3D Torus::surfaceNormal(const Kernel::V3D &Pt) const
@@ -296,7 +292,6 @@ void Torus::write(std::ostream &OX) const
 
   cx << Centre << " " << Displacement << " " << Iradius << " " << Dradius;
   Mantid::Kernel::Strings::writeMCNPX(cx.str(), OX);
-  return;
 }
 
 /** SGenerates a bounding box for the Torus
diff --git a/Framework/ICat/src/ICat4/ICat4Catalog.cpp b/Framework/ICat/src/ICat4/ICat4Catalog.cpp
index 384b28c1f06..c8e550a0217 100644
--- a/Framework/ICat/src/ICat4/ICat4Catalog.cpp
+++ b/Framework/ICat/src/ICat4/ICat4Catalog.cpp
@@ -360,7 +360,7 @@ void ICat4Catalog::saveInvestigations(std::vector<xsd__anyType *> response,
     if (investigation) {
       API::TableRow table = outputws->appendRow();
       // Used to insert an empty string into the cell if value does not exist.
-      std::string emptyCell("");
+      std::string emptyCell;
 
       // Now add the relevant investigation data to the table (They always
       // exist).
@@ -442,7 +442,7 @@ void ICat4Catalog::saveDataSets(std::vector<xsd__anyType *> response,
     outputws->addColumn("size_t", "Number of datafiles");
   }
 
-  std::string emptyCell = "";
+  std::string emptyCell;
   for (auto &iter : response) {
     ns1__dataset *dataset = dynamic_cast<ns1__dataset *>(iter);
     if (dataset) {
diff --git a/Framework/Kernel/inc/MantidKernel/DataService.h b/Framework/Kernel/inc/MantidKernel/DataService.h
index 8c1a6844fcb..2c76361dd95 100644
--- a/Framework/Kernel/inc/MantidKernel/DataService.h
+++ b/Framework/Kernel/inc/MantidKernel/DataService.h
@@ -213,7 +213,6 @@ public:
 
       notificationCenter.postNotification(new AddNotification(name, Tobject));
     }
-    return;
   }
 
   //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -253,7 +252,6 @@ public:
       m_mutex.unlock();
       DataService::add(name, Tobject);
     }
-    return;
   }
 
   //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -290,7 +288,6 @@ public:
 
     m_mutex.unlock();
     notificationCenter.postNotification(new PostDeleteNotification(foundName));
-    return;
   }
 
   //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -338,8 +335,6 @@ public:
     m_mutex.unlock();
     notificationCenter.postNotification(
         new RenameNotification(oldName, newName));
-
-    return;
   }
 
   //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/Framework/Kernel/src/ComputeResourceInfo.cpp b/Framework/Kernel/src/ComputeResourceInfo.cpp
index 861676d6a80..3223f345a71 100644
--- a/Framework/Kernel/src/ComputeResourceInfo.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Kernel/src/ComputeResourceInfo.cpp
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ ComputeResourceInfo::ComputeResourceInfo(const FacilityInfo *fac,
 
   m_name = elem->getAttribute("name");
   if (m_name.empty()) {
-    std::string elemStr = "";
+    std::string elemStr;
     if (elem)
       elemStr = elem->innerText();
     throw std::runtime_error(
diff --git a/Framework/Kernel/src/ConfigService.cpp b/Framework/Kernel/src/ConfigService.cpp
index 31446464c95..beac0703655 100644
--- a/Framework/Kernel/src/ConfigService.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Kernel/src/ConfigService.cpp
@@ -827,7 +827,7 @@ void ConfigServiceImpl::updateConfig(const std::string &filename,
  */
 void ConfigServiceImpl::saveConfig(const std::string &filename) const {
   // Open and read the user properties file
-  std::string updated_file("");
+  std::string updated_file;
 
   std::ifstream reader(filename.c_str(), std::ios::in);
   if (reader.bad()) {
@@ -835,7 +835,7 @@ void ConfigServiceImpl::saveConfig(const std::string &filename) const {
                              "updated configuration.");
   }
 
-  std::string file_line(""), output("");
+  std::string file_line, output;
   bool line_continuing(false);
   while (std::getline(reader, file_line)) {
     if (!file_line.empty()) {
@@ -1418,7 +1418,7 @@ std::string ConfigServiceImpl::getDirectoryOfExecutable() const {
   * @returns A string containing the full path the the executable
   */
 std::string ConfigServiceImpl::getPathToExecutable() const {
-  std::string execpath("");
+  std::string execpath;
   const size_t LEN(1024);
   // cppcheck-suppress variableScope
   char pBuf[LEN];
diff --git a/Framework/Kernel/src/DateTimeValidator.cpp b/Framework/Kernel/src/DateTimeValidator.cpp
index a85c32acff2..7923d7e4263 100644
--- a/Framework/Kernel/src/DateTimeValidator.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Kernel/src/DateTimeValidator.cpp
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ std::string DateTimeValidator::checkValidity(const std::string &value) const {
   if (m_allowedEmpty && value.empty()) {
     return "";
   } else {
-    std::string error("");
+    std::string error;
     try {
       auto displayLogs = false;
       DateAndTime timestamp(value, displayLogs);
diff --git a/Framework/Kernel/src/Math/Optimization/SLSQPMinimizer.cpp b/Framework/Kernel/src/Math/Optimization/SLSQPMinimizer.cpp
index d7048e15561..bfc28497fee 100644
--- a/Framework/Kernel/src/Math/Optimization/SLSQPMinimizer.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Kernel/src/Math/Optimization/SLSQPMinimizer.cpp
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ void SLSQPMinimizer::initializeConstraints(const DblMatrix &equality,
   // Sanity checks on matrix sizes
   for (size_t i = 0; i < 2; ++i) {
     size_t ncols(0);
-    std::string matrix("");
+    std::string matrix;
     if (i == 0) {
       ncols = equality.numCols();
       matrix = "equality";
diff --git a/Framework/Kernel/src/Matrix.cpp b/Framework/Kernel/src/Matrix.cpp
index 76b69699c92..b0febc89129 100644
--- a/Framework/Kernel/src/Matrix.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Kernel/src/Matrix.cpp
@@ -62,7 +62,6 @@ void indexSort(const std::vector<T> &pVec, std::vector<int> &Index) {
   transform(pVec.begin(), pVec.end(), PartList.begin(), PIndex<T>());
   sort(PartList.begin(), PartList.end());
   transform(PartList.begin(), PartList.end(), Index.begin(), PSep<T>());
-  return;
 }
 template void indexSort(const std::vector<double> &, std::vector<int> &);
 template void indexSort(const std::vector<float> &, std::vector<int> &);
@@ -546,7 +545,6 @@ void Matrix<T>::deleteMem()
   }
   nx = 0;
   ny = 0;
-  return;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -571,7 +569,6 @@ template <typename T> void Matrix<T>::setMem(const size_t a, const size_t b) {
       V[i] = tmpX + (i * ny);
     }
   }
-  return;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -588,7 +585,6 @@ void Matrix<T>::swapRows(const size_t RowI, const size_t RowJ) {
       V[RowJ][k] = tmp;
     }
   }
-  return;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -605,7 +601,6 @@ void Matrix<T>::swapCols(const size_t colI, const size_t colJ) {
       V[k][colJ] = tmp;
     }
   }
-  return;
 }
 
 template <typename T>
@@ -621,7 +616,6 @@ void Matrix<T>::zeroMatrix()
       }
     }
   }
-  return;
 }
 
 template <typename T>
@@ -638,7 +632,6 @@ void Matrix<T>::identityMatrix()
       }
     }
   }
-  return;
 }
 template <typename T>
 void Matrix<T>::setColumn(const size_t nCol, const std::vector<T> &newCol) {
@@ -684,7 +677,6 @@ void Matrix<T>::rotate(const double tau, const double s, const int i,
   const T hh = V[k][m];
   V[i][j] = static_cast<T>(gg - s * (hh + gg * tau));
   V[k][m] = static_cast<T>(hh + s * (gg - hh * tau));
-  return;
 }
 
 template <typename T>
@@ -1030,7 +1022,6 @@ void Matrix<T>::normVert()
       V[i][j] /= sum;
     }
   }
-  return;
 }
 
 template <typename T>
@@ -1122,7 +1113,6 @@ void Matrix<T>::lubcmp(int *rowperm, int &interchange)
     }
   }
   delete[] vv;
-  return;
 }
 
 template <typename T>
@@ -1152,7 +1142,6 @@ void Matrix<T>::lubksb(const int *rowperm, double *b)
       sum -= V[i][j] * b[j];
     b[i] = sum / V[i][i];
   }
-  return;
 }
 
 template <typename T>
@@ -1223,8 +1212,6 @@ void Matrix<T>::sortEigen(Matrix<T> &DiagMatrix)
     }
     DiagMatrix[Icol][Icol] = X[index[Icol]];
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 template <typename T>
@@ -1433,7 +1420,6 @@ void Matrix<T>::print() const
  */
 {
   write(std::cout, 10);
-  return;
 }
 
 /** set matrix elements ito random values  in the range from  rMin to rMax*/
@@ -1479,7 +1465,6 @@ void Matrix<T>::write(std::ostream &Fh, const int blockCnt) const
   } while (BCnt < ny);
 
   Fh.flags(oldFlags);
-  return;
 }
 
 template <typename T>
diff --git a/Framework/Kernel/src/MultiFileValidator.cpp b/Framework/Kernel/src/MultiFileValidator.cpp
index dbfdaceec29..9ec875f27a3 100644
--- a/Framework/Kernel/src/MultiFileValidator.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Kernel/src/MultiFileValidator.cpp
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ std::string MultiFileValidator::checkValidity(
   if (values.empty())
     return m_fileValidator.isValid("");
 
-  std::string accumulatedErrors("");
+  std::string accumulatedErrors;
 
   for (auto row : values) {
     for (const auto &valueIt : row) {
diff --git a/Framework/Kernel/src/Property.cpp b/Framework/Kernel/src/Property.cpp
index 6564b44750c..c64aa7ae412 100644
--- a/Framework/Kernel/src/Property.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Kernel/src/Property.cpp
@@ -200,7 +200,6 @@ void Property::filterByTime(const Kernel::DateAndTime &start,
   UNUSED_ARG(start);
   UNUSED_ARG(stop);
   // Do nothing in general
-  return;
 }
 
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -217,7 +216,6 @@ void Property::splitByTime(std::vector<SplittingInterval> &splitter,
   UNUSED_ARG(splitter);
   UNUSED_ARG(outputs);
   UNUSED_ARG(isProtonCharge);
-  return;
 }
 
 } // End Kernel namespace
diff --git a/Framework/Kernel/src/PropertyManager.cpp b/Framework/Kernel/src/PropertyManager.cpp
index 10f4aab54a1..11c59cf54bf 100644
--- a/Framework/Kernel/src/PropertyManager.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Kernel/src/PropertyManager.cpp
@@ -357,8 +357,8 @@ void PropertyManager::setPropertiesWithSimpleString(
     size_t n = pair.find('=');
     if (n != std::string::npos) {
       // Normal "PropertyName=value" string.
-      std::string propName = "";
-      std::string value = "";
+      std::string propName;
+      std::string value;
 
       // Extract the value string
       if (n < pair.size() - 1) {
diff --git a/Framework/Kernel/src/Quat.cpp b/Framework/Kernel/src/Quat.cpp
index 704fc65b314..ffc9cba3489 100644
--- a/Framework/Kernel/src/Quat.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Kernel/src/Quat.cpp
@@ -98,7 +98,6 @@ void Quat::set(const double ww, const double aa, const double bb,
   a = aa;
   b = bb;
   c = cc;
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Constructor from an angle and axis.
@@ -118,7 +117,6 @@ void Quat::setAngleAxis(const double _deg, const V3D &_axis) {
   a = s * temp[0];
   b = s * temp[1];
   c = s * temp[2];
-  return;
 }
 
 bool Quat::isNull(const double tolerance) const {
@@ -151,7 +149,6 @@ void Quat::getAngleAxis(double &_deg, double &_ax0, double &_ax1,
   _ax0 = a / s;
   _ax1 = b / s;
   _ax2 = c / s;
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Set the rotation (but don't change rotation axis).
@@ -190,7 +187,6 @@ void Quat::operator()(const Quat &q) {
   a = q.a;
   b = q.b;
   c = q.c;
-  return;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -240,7 +236,6 @@ void Quat::operator()(const V3D &rX, const V3D &rY, const V3D &rZ) {
 void Quat::init() {
   w = 1.0;
   a = b = c = 0.0;
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Quaternion addition operator
@@ -356,7 +351,6 @@ void Quat::normalize() {
   a *= overnorm;
   b *= overnorm;
   c *= overnorm;
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Quaternion complex conjugate
@@ -368,7 +362,6 @@ void Quat::conjugate() {
   a *= -1.0;
   b *= -1.0;
   c *= -1.0;
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Quaternion length
@@ -458,7 +451,6 @@ void Quat::GLMatrix(double *mat) const {
     mat++;
   }
   *mat = 1.0;
-  return;
 }
 /// using convention at
 /// http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quaternions_and_spatial_rotation
@@ -621,7 +613,6 @@ double &Quat::operator[](const int Index) {
  */
 void Quat::printSelf(std::ostream &os) const {
   os << "[" << w << "," << a << "," << b << "," << c << "]";
-  return;
 }
 
 /**  Read data from a stream in the format returned by printSelf ("[w,a,b,c]").
@@ -649,8 +640,6 @@ void Quat::readPrinted(std::istream &IX) {
   a = atof(in.substr(c1 + 1, c2 - c1 - 1).c_str());
   b = atof(in.substr(c2 + 1, c3 - c2 - 1).c_str());
   c = atof(in.substr(c3 + 1, j - c3 - 1).c_str());
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Prints a string representation
@@ -725,7 +714,6 @@ void Quat::rotateBB(double &xmin, double &ymin, double &zmin, double &xmax,
   xmax = maxV[0];
   ymax = maxV[1];
   zmax = maxV[2];
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Calculate the Euler angles that are equivalent to this Quaternion.
diff --git a/Framework/Kernel/src/RemoteJobManager.cpp b/Framework/Kernel/src/RemoteJobManager.cpp
index 084e4c3b0f5..3f11a4bed3f 100644
--- a/Framework/Kernel/src/RemoteJobManager.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Kernel/src/RemoteJobManager.cpp
@@ -235,8 +235,6 @@ void RemoteJobManager::initHTTPRequest(Poco::Net::HTTPRequest &req,
 
   // Attach any cookies we've got from previous responses
   req.setCookies(getCookies());
-
-  return;
 }
 
 // Converts the vector of HTTPCookie objects into a NameValueCollection
diff --git a/Framework/Kernel/src/StringContainsValidator.cpp b/Framework/Kernel/src/StringContainsValidator.cpp
index c38ea976ec8..7cafe11bbbf 100644
--- a/Framework/Kernel/src/StringContainsValidator.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Kernel/src/StringContainsValidator.cpp
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ void StringContainsValidator::setRequiredStrings(
  */
 std::string
 StringContainsValidator::checkValidity(const std::string &value) const {
-  std::string error("");
+  std::string error;
   if (m_requiredStrings.empty() && !value.empty()) {
     return "";
   } else {
diff --git a/Framework/Kernel/src/Strings.cpp b/Framework/Kernel/src/Strings.cpp
index 87cd42613da..aa0550b5f25 100644
--- a/Framework/Kernel/src/Strings.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Kernel/src/Strings.cpp
@@ -103,7 +103,6 @@ void printHex(std::ostream &OFS, const int n) {
   hex(OFS);
   OFS << n;
   OFS.flags(PrevFlags);
-  return;
 }
 
 //------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -337,7 +336,6 @@ void stripComment(std::string &A) {
     posA = posC;
   if (posA != std::string::npos)
     A.erase(posA, std::string::npos);
-  return;
 }
 
 //------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -405,7 +403,6 @@ void writeMCNPX(const std::string &Line, std::ostream &OX) {
       OX << std::string(spc, ' ');
     OX << X << '\n';
   }
-  return;
 }
 
 //------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/Framework/Kernel/src/TimeSeriesProperty.cpp b/Framework/Kernel/src/TimeSeriesProperty.cpp
index c1230ca8821..d80ebe54607 100644
--- a/Framework/Kernel/src/TimeSeriesProperty.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Kernel/src/TimeSeriesProperty.cpp
@@ -308,8 +308,6 @@ void TimeSeriesProperty<TYPE>::filterByTime(const Kernel::DateAndTime &start,
 
   // 4. Make size consistent
   m_size = static_cast<int>(m_values.size());
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -389,8 +387,6 @@ void TimeSeriesProperty<TYPE>::filterByTimes(
   mp_copy.clear();
 
   m_size = static_cast<int>(m_values.size());
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -526,8 +522,6 @@ void TimeSeriesProperty<TYPE>::splitByTime(
       // "\n";
     }
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 // The makeFilterByValue & expandFilterToRange methods generate a bunch of
@@ -635,8 +629,6 @@ void TimeSeriesProperty<TYPE>::makeFilterByValue(
     stop = t + tol;
     split.push_back(SplittingInterval(start, stop, 0));
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Function specialization for TimeSeriesProperty<std::string>
@@ -701,8 +693,6 @@ void TimeSeriesProperty<TYPE>::expandFilterToRange(
     // (which may be a null time interval; this'll be ignored)
     split = split | extraFilter;
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Function specialization for TimeSeriesProperty<std::string>
@@ -935,8 +925,6 @@ void TimeSeriesProperty<TYPE>::addValue(const Kernel::DateAndTime &time,
   }
 
   m_filterApplied = false;
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Add a value to the map
@@ -1269,8 +1257,6 @@ void TimeSeriesProperty<TYPE>::create(const std::vector<DateAndTime> &new_times,
 
   // reset the size
   m_size = static_cast<int>(m_values.size());
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Returns the value at a particular time
@@ -1656,8 +1642,6 @@ void TimeSeriesProperty<TYPE>::filterWith(
   // 3. Reset flag and do filter
   m_filterApplied = false;
   applyFilter();
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -1666,8 +1650,6 @@ void TimeSeriesProperty<TYPE>::filterWith(
 template <typename TYPE> void TimeSeriesProperty<TYPE>::clearFilter() {
   m_filter.clear();
   m_filterQuickRef.clear();
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -1686,8 +1668,6 @@ template <typename TYPE> void TimeSeriesProperty<TYPE>::countSize() const {
                                               : m_filterQuickRef.back().second;
     m_size = static_cast<int>(nvalues);
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /**  Check if str has the right time format
@@ -1788,8 +1768,6 @@ template <typename TYPE> void TimeSeriesProperty<TYPE>::eliminateDuplicates() {
   g_log.warning() << "Log " << this->name() << " has " << numremoved
                   << " entries removed due to duplicated time. "
                   << "\n";
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /*
@@ -1827,8 +1805,6 @@ template <typename TYPE> void TimeSeriesProperty<TYPE>::sort() const {
     std::stable_sort(m_values.begin(), m_values.end());
     m_propSortedFlag = TimeSeriesSortStatus::TSSORTED;
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Find the index of the entry of time t in the mP vector (sorted)
@@ -2024,8 +2000,6 @@ template <typename TYPE> void TimeSeriesProperty<TYPE>::applyFilter() const {
 
   // 6. Re-count size
   countSize();
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/Framework/Kernel/src/V3D.cpp b/Framework/Kernel/src/V3D.cpp
index a0998735040..e9c117d1902 100644
--- a/Framework/Kernel/src/V3D.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Kernel/src/V3D.cpp
@@ -280,7 +280,6 @@ void V3D::operator()(const double xx, const double yy, const double zz) {
   x = xx;
   y = yy;
   z = zz;
-  return;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -351,7 +350,6 @@ void V3D::getSpherical(double &R, double &theta, double &phi) const {
   if (R != 0.0)
     theta = acos(z / R) * rad2deg;
   phi = atan2(y, x) * rad2deg;
-  return;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -589,7 +587,6 @@ std::vector<V3D> V3D::makeVectorsOrthogonal(std::vector<V3D> &vectors) {
 */
 void V3D::read(std::istream &IX) {
   IX >> x >> y >> z;
-  return;
 }
 
 void V3D::write(std::ostream &OX) const
@@ -599,7 +596,6 @@ void V3D::write(std::ostream &OX) const
 */
 {
   OX << x << " " << y << " " << z;
-  return;
 }
 
 /** @return the vector as a string "X Y Z" */
@@ -622,7 +618,6 @@ void V3D::fromString(const std::string &str) {
 */
 void V3D::printSelf(std::ostream &os) const {
   os << "[" << x << "," << y << "," << z << "]";
-  return;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -648,8 +643,6 @@ void V3D::readPrinted(std::istream &IX) {
   x = atof(in.substr(i + 1, c1 - i - 1).c_str());
   y = atof(in.substr(c1 + 1, c2 - c1 - 1).c_str());
   z = atof(in.substr(c2 + 1, j - c2 - 1).c_str());
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/Framework/Kernel/src/VectorHelper.cpp b/Framework/Kernel/src/VectorHelper.cpp
index a8b27f440a2..932c8924055 100644
--- a/Framework/Kernel/src/VectorHelper.cpp
+++ b/Framework/Kernel/src/VectorHelper.cpp
@@ -216,8 +216,6 @@ void rebin(const std::vector<double> &xold, const std::vector<double> &yold,
       std::transform(enew.begin(), enew.end(), enew.begin(), uf);
     }
   }
-
-  return; // without problems
 }
 
 //-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -328,8 +326,6 @@ void rebinHistogram(const std::vector<double> &xold,
     pf uf = std::sqrt;
     std::transform(enew.begin(), enew.end(), enew.begin(), uf);
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/Framework/LiveData/src/FakeEventDataListener.cpp b/Framework/LiveData/src/FakeEventDataListener.cpp
index 8b79c574487..aaf46dd9dbb 100644
--- a/Framework/LiveData/src/FakeEventDataListener.cpp
+++ b/Framework/LiveData/src/FakeEventDataListener.cpp
@@ -87,8 +87,6 @@ void FakeEventDataListener::start(
 
   // When we are past this time, end the run.
   m_nextEndRunTime = DateAndTime::getCurrentTime() + m_endRunEvery;
-
-  return;
 }
 
 boost::shared_ptr<Workspace> FakeEventDataListener::extractData() {
@@ -141,8 +139,6 @@ void FakeEventDataListener::generateEvents(Poco::Timer &) {
     m_buffer->getSpectrum(1)
         .addEventQuickly(DataObjects::TofEvent(m_rand->nextValue()));
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 } // namespace LiveData
 } // namespace Mantid
diff --git a/Framework/LiveData/src/FileEventDataListener.cpp b/Framework/LiveData/src/FileEventDataListener.cpp
index 1903cdb229e..81ac4301f86 100644
--- a/Framework/LiveData/src/FileEventDataListener.cpp
+++ b/Framework/LiveData/src/FileEventDataListener.cpp
@@ -117,7 +117,6 @@ void FileEventDataListener::start(
   // Kick off loading the first chunk (which will include loading the instrument
   // etc.)
   loadChunk();
-  return;
 }
 
 boost::shared_ptr<Workspace> FileEventDataListener::extractData() {
diff --git a/Framework/LiveData/src/ISISHistoDataListener.cpp b/Framework/LiveData/src/ISISHistoDataListener.cpp
index ac2b4c6cdc0..ad5e1380959 100644
--- a/Framework/LiveData/src/ISISHistoDataListener.cpp
+++ b/Framework/LiveData/src/ISISHistoDataListener.cpp
@@ -145,9 +145,7 @@ int ISISHistoDataListener::runNumber() const {
 
 void ISISHistoDataListener::start(
     Kernel::DateAndTime /*startTime*/) // Ignore the start time
-{
-  return;
-}
+{}
 
 /**
  * Read the data from the DAE.
diff --git a/Framework/LiveData/src/LiveDataAlgorithm.cpp b/Framework/LiveData/src/LiveDataAlgorithm.cpp
index 11dc5f8594f..789974a8a76 100644
--- a/Framework/LiveData/src/LiveDataAlgorithm.cpp
+++ b/Framework/LiveData/src/LiveDataAlgorithm.cpp
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ Mantid::Kernel::DateAndTime LiveDataAlgorithm::getStartTime() const {
  *         Returns a NULL pointer if no algorithm was chosen.
  */
 IAlgorithm_sptr LiveDataAlgorithm::makeAlgorithm(bool postProcessing) {
-  std::string prefix = "";
+  std::string prefix;
   if (postProcessing)
     prefix = "Post";
 
diff --git a/Framework/LiveData/src/SNSLiveEventDataListener.cpp b/Framework/LiveData/src/SNSLiveEventDataListener.cpp
index 018997e1f56..09e4048ba51 100644
--- a/Framework/LiveData/src/SNSLiveEventDataListener.cpp
+++ b/Framework/LiveData/src/SNSLiveEventDataListener.cpp
@@ -330,11 +330,9 @@ void SNSLiveEventDataListener::run() {
         " Thread is exiting.");
     m_isConnected = false;
 
-    m_backgroundException = boost::shared_ptr<std::runtime_error>(
-        new std::runtime_error("Unknown error in backgound thread"));
+    m_backgroundException = boost::make_shared<std::runtime_error>(
+        "Unknown error in backgound thread");
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /// Parse a banked event packet
diff --git a/Framework/LiveData/src/TOPAZLiveEventDataListener.cpp b/Framework/LiveData/src/TOPAZLiveEventDataListener.cpp
index e67790d8ed6..753301cc5fc 100644
--- a/Framework/LiveData/src/TOPAZLiveEventDataListener.cpp
+++ b/Framework/LiveData/src/TOPAZLiveEventDataListener.cpp
@@ -459,11 +459,9 @@ void TOPAZLiveEventDataListener::run() {
                 "read thread.  Thread is exiting.");
     m_isConnected = false;
 
-    m_backgroundException = boost::shared_ptr<std::runtime_error>(
-        new std::runtime_error("Unknown error in backgound thread"));
+    m_backgroundException = boost::make_shared<std::runtime_error>(
+        "Unknown error in backgound thread");
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /// Workspace initialization
diff --git a/Framework/LiveData/test/TestDataListener.cpp b/Framework/LiveData/test/TestDataListener.cpp
index 91c958ff2c3..1801c8c66c0 100644
--- a/Framework/LiveData/test/TestDataListener.cpp
+++ b/Framework/LiveData/test/TestDataListener.cpp
@@ -74,9 +74,7 @@ int TestDataListener::runNumber() const { return 999; }
 
 void TestDataListener::start(
     Kernel::DateAndTime /*startTime*/) // Ignore the start time
-{
-  return;
-}
+{}
 
 /** Create the default empty event workspace */
 void TestDataListener::createEmptyWorkspace() {
diff --git a/Framework/LiveData/test/TestGroupDataListener.cpp b/Framework/LiveData/test/TestGroupDataListener.cpp
index c6ff489daea..bc442527bd2 100644
--- a/Framework/LiveData/test/TestGroupDataListener.cpp
+++ b/Framework/LiveData/test/TestGroupDataListener.cpp
@@ -35,9 +35,7 @@ int TestGroupDataListener::runNumber() const { return 0; }
 
 void TestGroupDataListener::start(
     Kernel::DateAndTime /*startTime*/) // Ignore the start time
-{
-  return;
-}
+{}
 
 /** Create the default empty event workspace */
 void TestGroupDataListener::createWorkspace() {
diff --git a/Framework/MDAlgorithms/src/ConvertCWPDMDToSpectra.cpp b/Framework/MDAlgorithms/src/ConvertCWPDMDToSpectra.cpp
index 32a0dff13d6..372ed733a04 100644
--- a/Framework/MDAlgorithms/src/ConvertCWPDMDToSpectra.cpp
+++ b/Framework/MDAlgorithms/src/ConvertCWPDMDToSpectra.cpp
@@ -588,8 +588,6 @@ void ConvertCWPDMDToSpectra::binMD(API::IMDEventWorkspace_const_sptr mdws,
       scancell = false;
     }
   } // ENDOF(while)
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -663,8 +661,6 @@ void ConvertCWPDMDToSpectra::linearInterpolation(
 
     return;
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -691,8 +687,6 @@ void ConvertCWPDMDToSpectra::setupSampleLogs(
     targetrun.addProperty(p->clone());
     g_log.debug() << "Cloned property " << p->name() << "\n";
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -718,8 +712,6 @@ void ConvertCWPDMDToSpectra::scaleMatrixWorkspace(
       }
     }
   } // FOR(iws)
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/Framework/MDAlgorithms/src/ConvertCWSDExpToMomentum.cpp b/Framework/MDAlgorithms/src/ConvertCWSDExpToMomentum.cpp
index f393edd27ba..b95b819fa96 100644
--- a/Framework/MDAlgorithms/src/ConvertCWSDExpToMomentum.cpp
+++ b/Framework/MDAlgorithms/src/ConvertCWSDExpToMomentum.cpp
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ void ConvertCWSDExpToMomentum::init() {
  */
 void ConvertCWSDExpToMomentum::exec() {
   // Parse inputs
-  std::string errmsg("");
+  std::string errmsg;
   bool createvirtual = getProperty("CreateVirtualInstrument");
   bool inputvalid = getInputs(createvirtual, errmsg);
   if (!inputvalid) {
@@ -118,8 +118,6 @@ void ConvertCWSDExpToMomentum::exec() {
     g_log.notice() << "Q-sample at dimension " << i << ": " << m_minQVec[i]
                    << ", " << m_maxQVec[i] << "\n";
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -142,8 +140,6 @@ void ConvertCWSDExpToMomentum::createVirtualInstrument() {
   g_log.information() << "Virtual Instrument has "
                       << m_virtualInstrument->getDetectorIDs().size()
                       << "Detectors\n";
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -218,7 +214,7 @@ void ConvertCWSDExpToMomentum::addMDEvents(bool usevirtual) {
   MatrixWorkspace_sptr spicews;
 
   // Check whether to add / or \ to m_dataDir
-  std::string sep("");
+  std::string sep;
   if (m_dataDir.size() > 0) {
 // Determine system
 #if _WIN64
@@ -318,8 +314,6 @@ void ConvertCWSDExpToMomentum::addMDEvents(bool usevirtual) {
       mdbox->refreshCache(nullptr);
     }
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -356,8 +350,6 @@ void ConvertCWSDExpToMomentum::setupTransferMatrix(
     g_log.debug() << "Ratation matrix: " << rotationMatrix.str() << "\n";
   } else
     throw std::runtime_error("Unable to set Goniometer.");
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -469,8 +461,6 @@ void ConvertCWSDExpToMomentum::convertSpiceMatrixToMomentumMDEvents(
   }
 
   m_outputWS->addExperimentInfo(expinfo);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -648,8 +638,6 @@ void ConvertCWSDExpToMomentum::parseDetectorTable(
     Kernel::V3D detpos(x, y, z);
     vec_detpos[i] = detpos;
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -669,8 +657,6 @@ void ConvertCWSDExpToMomentum::updateQRange(
     else if (vec_q[i] > m_maxQVec[i])
       m_maxQVec[i] = vec_q[i];
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 /** Remove background per pixel
@@ -690,8 +676,6 @@ void ConvertCWSDExpToMomentum::removeBackground(
       dataws->dataE(i)[0] = std::sqrt(dataws->readY(i)[0]);
     }
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 } // namespace MDAlgorithms
diff --git a/Framework/MDAlgorithms/src/ConvertCWSDMDtoHKL.cpp b/Framework/MDAlgorithms/src/ConvertCWSDMDtoHKL.cpp
index f8f70362e87..5cd76046dd1 100644
--- a/Framework/MDAlgorithms/src/ConvertCWSDMDtoHKL.cpp
+++ b/Framework/MDAlgorithms/src/ConvertCWSDMDtoHKL.cpp
@@ -155,8 +155,6 @@ void ConvertCWSDMDtoHKL::getUBMatrix() {
       }
     }
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -211,8 +209,6 @@ void ConvertCWSDMDtoHKL::exportEvents(
       scancell = false;
     }
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -241,8 +237,6 @@ void ConvertCWSDMDtoHKL::saveMDToFile(
           << vec_event_qsample[i][2] << ", " << vec_event_signal[i] << "\n";
   }
   ofile.close();
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -268,8 +262,6 @@ void ConvertCWSDMDtoHKL::saveEventsToFile(
           << vec_event_detid[i] << "\n";
   }
   ofile.close();
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -288,8 +280,6 @@ void ConvertCWSDMDtoHKL::convertFromQSampleToHKL(
 
   g_log.notice() << "[DB] " << original_indexed << " peaks are indexed."
                  << "\n";
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -396,8 +386,6 @@ void ConvertCWSDMDtoHKL::getRange(const std::vector<Kernel::V3D> vec_hkl,
     extentMins[i] = minvalue;
     extentMaxs[i] = maxvalue;
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 } // namespace MDAlgorithms
diff --git a/Framework/MDAlgorithms/src/ConvertMDHistoToMatrixWorkspace.cpp b/Framework/MDAlgorithms/src/ConvertMDHistoToMatrixWorkspace.cpp
index aeb7144825e..a1d5812615a 100644
--- a/Framework/MDAlgorithms/src/ConvertMDHistoToMatrixWorkspace.cpp
+++ b/Framework/MDAlgorithms/src/ConvertMDHistoToMatrixWorkspace.cpp
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ void ConvertMDHistoToMatrixWorkspace::make1DWorkspace() {
   Mantid::Geometry::VecIMDDimension_const_sptr nonIntegDims =
       inputWorkspace->getNonIntegratedDimensions();
 
-  std::string alongDim = "";
+  std::string alongDim;
   if (!nonIntegDims.empty())
     alongDim = nonIntegDims[0]->getDimensionId();
   else
diff --git a/Framework/MDAlgorithms/src/ConvertSpiceDataToRealSpace.cpp b/Framework/MDAlgorithms/src/ConvertSpiceDataToRealSpace.cpp
index 86317b244ea..49b481e5e8b 100644
--- a/Framework/MDAlgorithms/src/ConvertSpiceDataToRealSpace.cpp
+++ b/Framework/MDAlgorithms/src/ConvertSpiceDataToRealSpace.cpp
@@ -271,8 +271,6 @@ void ConvertSpiceDataToRealSpace::parseSampleLogs(
 
     logvecmap.emplace(logname, logvec);
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -440,8 +438,6 @@ void ConvertSpiceDataToRealSpace::readTableInfo(
 
   // Sort out anode id index list;
   std::sort(anodelist.begin(), anodelist.end());
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -528,8 +524,6 @@ void ConvertSpiceDataToRealSpace::appendSampleLogs(
     // Add log to experiment info
     eilast->mutableRun().addLogData(templog);
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -562,8 +556,6 @@ void ConvertSpiceDataToRealSpace::addExperimentInfos(
   combine_expinfo->mutableRun().addProperty(
       new PropertyWithValue<int>("run_number", -1));
   mdws->addExperimentInfo(combine_expinfo);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -779,8 +771,6 @@ void ConvertSpiceDataToRealSpace::correctByDetectorEfficiency(
         ws->dataY(iws)[0] /= detiter->second;
     }
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 } // namespace DataHandling
diff --git a/Framework/MDAlgorithms/src/ConvertToMD.cpp b/Framework/MDAlgorithms/src/ConvertToMD.cpp
index a88a381f1ba..7febafb223d 100644
--- a/Framework/MDAlgorithms/src/ConvertToMD.cpp
+++ b/Framework/MDAlgorithms/src/ConvertToMD.cpp
@@ -261,7 +261,6 @@ void ConvertToMD::exec() {
   // free up the sp to the input workspace, which would be deleted if nobody
   // needs it any more;
   m_InWS2D.reset();
-  return;
 }
 /**
  * Copy over the part of metadata necessary to initialize ConvertToMD plugin
diff --git a/Framework/MDAlgorithms/src/GetSpiceDataRawCountsFromMD.cpp b/Framework/MDAlgorithms/src/GetSpiceDataRawCountsFromMD.cpp
index ba16c7ec785..4970e5af3fc 100644
--- a/Framework/MDAlgorithms/src/GetSpiceDataRawCountsFromMD.cpp
+++ b/Framework/MDAlgorithms/src/GetSpiceDataRawCountsFromMD.cpp
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ void GetSpiceDataRawCountsFromMD::exec() {
   // Branch out by mode
   std::vector<double> vecX;
   std::vector<double> vecY;
-  std::string ylabel("");
+  std::string ylabel;
   if (mode.compare("Pt.") == 0) {
     // export detector counts for one specific Pt./run number
     int runnumber = getProperty("Pt");
@@ -124,8 +124,6 @@ void GetSpiceDataRawCountsFromMD::exec() {
   MatrixWorkspace_sptr outws =
       createOutputWorkspace(vecX, vecY, xlabel, ylabel);
   setProperty("OutputWorkspace", outws);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -333,8 +331,6 @@ void GetSpiceDataRawCountsFromMD::exportSampleLogValue(
     vecX[i] = vecPair[i].first;
     vecY[i] = vecPair[i].second;
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -433,8 +429,6 @@ void GetSpiceDataRawCountsFromMD::getDetCounts(
   } // ENDOF(while)
 
   delete (mditer);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -480,8 +474,6 @@ void GetSpiceDataRawCountsFromMD::getSampleLogValues(
                   << " of " << iexp << "-th ExperimentInfo "
                   << "\n";
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/Framework/MDAlgorithms/src/IntegratePeaksCWSD.cpp b/Framework/MDAlgorithms/src/IntegratePeaksCWSD.cpp
index 3b865bfd6f5..95cbdc29504 100644
--- a/Framework/MDAlgorithms/src/IntegratePeaksCWSD.cpp
+++ b/Framework/MDAlgorithms/src/IntegratePeaksCWSD.cpp
@@ -353,18 +353,6 @@ void IntegratePeaksCWSD::simplePeakIntegration(
   // Summarize
   g_log.notice() << "Distance range is " << min_distance << ", " << max_distance
                  << "\n";
-
-  /*
-  g_log.warning() << "Debug output: run 13: Number masked detectors = " <<
-  num_masked_det
-                  << ", Total signal = " << total_signal << "\n";
-  g_log.warning() << "  Number of unmasked detectors = " << num_unmasked_det
-                  << ", Total unmasked signal = " << total_unmasked_signal <<
-  "\n";
-  g_log.warning() << "  Number of total detectors = " << num_det << "\n";
-  */
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/Framework/MDAlgorithms/src/LoadILLAsciiHelper.cpp b/Framework/MDAlgorithms/src/LoadILLAsciiHelper.cpp
index 80f2d14387a..b2ca7595805 100644
--- a/Framework/MDAlgorithms/src/LoadILLAsciiHelper.cpp
+++ b/Framework/MDAlgorithms/src/LoadILLAsciiHelper.cpp
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ std::string ILLParser::getInstrumentName() {
     // throw std::runtime_error("Must be called before reading the file!");
   }
 
-  std::string line, instrumentKeyword("Inst"), instrumentName("");
+  std::string line, instrumentKeyword("Inst"), instrumentName;
   int lineRead = 0, maxLineRead = 20; // never read more than
 
   while (std::getline(fin, line) && lineRead < maxLineRead) {
@@ -277,7 +277,7 @@ void ILLParser::parseFieldA() {
   // int numberOfCharsToRead = evaluate<int>(parsedLineFields[0]);
   int numberOfLinesToRead = evaluate<int>(parsedLineFields[1]);
   std::string key;
-  std::string value("");
+  std::string value;
   std::getline(fin, key);
   for (int i = 0; i < numberOfLinesToRead; i++) {
     std::getline(fin, line);
diff --git a/Framework/MDAlgorithms/src/MDNormDirectSC.cpp b/Framework/MDAlgorithms/src/MDNormDirectSC.cpp
index c95a4be3da9..cbf8e881e93 100644
--- a/Framework/MDAlgorithms/src/MDNormDirectSC.cpp
+++ b/Framework/MDAlgorithms/src/MDNormDirectSC.cpp
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ std::string MDNormDirectSC::inputEnergyMode() const {
   const auto &lastAlgHist = hist.getAlgorithmHistory(nalgs - 1);
   const auto &penultimateAlgHist = hist.getAlgorithmHistory(nalgs - 2);
 
-  std::string emode("");
+  std::string emode;
   if (lastAlgHist->name() == "ConvertToMD") {
     emode = lastAlgHist->getPropertyValue("dEAnalysisMode");
   } else if ((lastAlgHist->name() == "Load" ||
diff --git a/Framework/MDAlgorithms/src/MDNormSCD.cpp b/Framework/MDAlgorithms/src/MDNormSCD.cpp
index dc4ce08f3a9..744055138e1 100644
--- a/Framework/MDAlgorithms/src/MDNormSCD.cpp
+++ b/Framework/MDAlgorithms/src/MDNormSCD.cpp
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ std::string MDNormSCD::inputEnergyMode() const {
   const size_t nalgs = hist.size();
   const auto &lastAlgorithm = hist.lastAlgorithm();
 
-  std::string emode("");
+  std::string emode;
   if (lastAlgorithm->name() == "ConvertToMD") {
     emode = lastAlgorithm->getPropertyValue("dEAnalysisMode");
   } else if ((lastAlgorithm->name() == "Load" ||
diff --git a/Framework/PythonInterface/mantid/api/src/Exports/BinaryOperations.cpp b/Framework/PythonInterface/mantid/api/src/Exports/BinaryOperations.cpp
index c2a1eaa41f5..a0d1c6b4323 100644
--- a/Framework/PythonInterface/mantid/api/src/Exports/BinaryOperations.cpp
+++ b/Framework/PythonInterface/mantid/api/src/Exports/BinaryOperations.cpp
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ ResultType performBinaryOp(const LHSType lhs, const RHSType rhs,
     algoName = op + "MD";
 
   ResultType result;
-  std::string error("");
+  std::string error;
   try {
     if (reverse) {
       result = API::OperatorOverloads::executeBinaryOperation<RHSType, LHSType,
diff --git a/Framework/PythonInterface/mantid/api/src/Exports/DeprecatedAlgorithmChecker.cpp b/Framework/PythonInterface/mantid/api/src/Exports/DeprecatedAlgorithmChecker.cpp
index 033161aa056..96759a92446 100644
--- a/Framework/PythonInterface/mantid/api/src/Exports/DeprecatedAlgorithmChecker.cpp
+++ b/Framework/PythonInterface/mantid/api/src/Exports/DeprecatedAlgorithmChecker.cpp
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ public:
   /// @returns A string containing a deprecation message if the algorithm is
   /// deprecated, empty string otherwise
   const std::string isDeprecated() const {
-    std::string deprecMessage = "";
+    std::string deprecMessage;
     DeprecatedAlgorithm *depr =
         dynamic_cast<DeprecatedAlgorithm *>(m_alg.get());
     if (depr)
diff --git a/Framework/RemoteAlgorithms/src/SCARFTomoReconstruction.cpp b/Framework/RemoteAlgorithms/src/SCARFTomoReconstruction.cpp
index ccd2d3b6fec..4b95f5de96a 100644
--- a/Framework/RemoteAlgorithms/src/SCARFTomoReconstruction.cpp
+++ b/Framework/RemoteAlgorithms/src/SCARFTomoReconstruction.cpp
@@ -437,7 +437,7 @@ void SCARFTomoReconstruction::doSubmit(const std::string &username) {
 
   // Not sure at this point if there could be commands without options
   // For the time being it's possible.
-  std::string jobOptions = "";
+  std::string jobOptions;
   try {
     jobOptions = getPropertyValue("JobOptions");
   } catch (std::runtime_error & /*e*/) {
@@ -446,7 +446,7 @@ void SCARFTomoReconstruction::doSubmit(const std::string &username) {
     m_jobOptions = "";
   }
 
-  std::string runnablePath = "";
+  std::string runnablePath;
   try {
     runnablePath = getPropertyValue("RunnablePath");
   } catch (std::runtime_error & /*e*/) {
@@ -457,7 +457,7 @@ void SCARFTomoReconstruction::doSubmit(const std::string &username) {
     throw;
   }
 
-  std::string jobName = "";
+  std::string jobName;
   try {
     jobName = getPropertyValue("JobName");
   } catch (std::runtime_error & /*e*/) {
@@ -1181,7 +1181,7 @@ void SCARFTomoReconstruction::genOutputStatusInfo(
 
     Poco::XML::Element *id = el->getChildElement("id");
     if (id) {
-      const std::string &IdStr = id->innerText().c_str();
+      const std::string &IdStr = id->innerText();
       if (!jobIDFilter.empty() && IdStr != jobIDFilter)
         continue;
 
@@ -1190,21 +1190,21 @@ void SCARFTomoReconstruction::genOutputStatusInfo(
 
     Poco::XML::Element *name = el->getChildElement("name");
     if (name) {
-      jobNames.push_back(name->innerText().c_str());
+      jobNames.push_back(name->innerText());
     } else {
       jobNames.emplace_back("Unknown!");
     }
 
     Poco::XML::Element *status = el->getChildElement("status");
     if (status) {
-      jobStatus.push_back(status->innerText().c_str());
+      jobStatus.push_back(status->innerText());
     } else {
       jobStatus.emplace_back("Unknown!");
     }
 
     Poco::XML::Element *cmd = el->getChildElement("cmd");
     if (cmd) {
-      jobCommands.push_back(cmd->innerText().c_str());
+      jobCommands.push_back(cmd->innerText());
     } else {
       jobCommands.emplace_back("Unknown!");
     }
diff --git a/Framework/RemoteJobManagers/src/LSFJobManager.cpp b/Framework/RemoteJobManagers/src/LSFJobManager.cpp
index 1550e62ea94..d2b137a95de 100644
--- a/Framework/RemoteJobManagers/src/LSFJobManager.cpp
+++ b/Framework/RemoteJobManagers/src/LSFJobManager.cpp
@@ -535,7 +535,7 @@ std::string LSFJobManager::submitRemoteJob(const std::string &transactionID,
         "Error while sending HTTP request to submit a job: " +
         std::string(ie.what()));
   }
-  std::string jobID = "";
+  std::string jobID;
   if (Mantid::Kernel::InternetHelper::HTTP_OK == code) {
     std::string resp = ss.str();
     if (std::string::npos != resp.find("<errMsg>")) {
diff --git a/Framework/RemoteJobManagers/src/MantidWebServiceAPIHelper.cpp b/Framework/RemoteJobManagers/src/MantidWebServiceAPIHelper.cpp
index a19baa058fc..48a4c64186a 100644
--- a/Framework/RemoteJobManagers/src/MantidWebServiceAPIHelper.cpp
+++ b/Framework/RemoteJobManagers/src/MantidWebServiceAPIHelper.cpp
@@ -221,8 +221,6 @@ void MantidWebServiceAPIHelper::initHTTPRequest(Poco::Net::HTTPRequest &req,
 
   // Attach any cookies we've got from previous responses
   req.setCookies(getCookies());
-
-  return;
 }
 
 // Converts the vector of HTTPCookie objects into a NameValueCollection
diff --git a/Framework/ScriptRepository/src/ScriptRepositoryImpl.cpp b/Framework/ScriptRepository/src/ScriptRepositoryImpl.cpp
index 32e4c2f1f7c..ad240c03ac1 100644
--- a/Framework/ScriptRepository/src/ScriptRepositoryImpl.cpp
+++ b/Framework/ScriptRepository/src/ScriptRepositoryImpl.cpp
@@ -476,7 +476,7 @@ std::vector<std::string> ScriptRepositoryImpl::listFiles() {
   // evaluate the status for all entries
   // and also fill up the output vector (in reverse order)
   Mantid::API::SCRIPTSTATUS acc_status = Mantid::API::BOTH_UNCHANGED;
-  std::string last_directory = "";
+  std::string last_directory;
   for (auto it = repo.rbegin(); it != repo.rend(); ++it) {
     // for every entry, it takes the path and RepositoryEntry
     std::string entry_path = it->first;
diff --git a/Framework/WorkflowAlgorithms/src/AlignAndFocusPowder.cpp b/Framework/WorkflowAlgorithms/src/AlignAndFocusPowder.cpp
index 0dc835d7502..48253304bce 100644
--- a/Framework/WorkflowAlgorithms/src/AlignAndFocusPowder.cpp
+++ b/Framework/WorkflowAlgorithms/src/AlignAndFocusPowder.cpp
@@ -649,8 +649,6 @@ void AlignAndFocusPowder::exec() {
 
   // return the output workspace
   setProperty("OutputWorkspace", m_outputW);
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -943,8 +941,6 @@ void AlignAndFocusPowder::loadCalFile(const std::string &calFileName) {
     AnalysisDataService::Instance().addOrReplace(name, m_maskWS);
     this->setPropertyValue("MaskWorkspace", name);
   }
-
-  return;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/Framework/WorkflowAlgorithms/src/ComputeSensitivity.cpp b/Framework/WorkflowAlgorithms/src/ComputeSensitivity.cpp
index 100520c0190..8b2111110b9 100644
--- a/Framework/WorkflowAlgorithms/src/ComputeSensitivity.cpp
+++ b/Framework/WorkflowAlgorithms/src/ComputeSensitivity.cpp
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ void ComputeSensitivity::init() {
 }
 
 void ComputeSensitivity::exec() {
-  std::string outputMessage = "";
+  std::string outputMessage;
   progress(0.1, "Setting up sensitivity calculation");
 
   // Reduction property manager
diff --git a/Framework/WorkflowAlgorithms/src/ConvolutionFitSequential.cpp b/Framework/WorkflowAlgorithms/src/ConvolutionFitSequential.cpp
index 5d240a10999..7b468fa66f7 100644
--- a/Framework/WorkflowAlgorithms/src/ConvolutionFitSequential.cpp
+++ b/Framework/WorkflowAlgorithms/src/ConvolutionFitSequential.cpp
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ void ConvolutionFitSequential::exec() {
 
   Progress plotPeakStringProg(this, 0.0, 0.05, specMax - specMin);
   // Construct plotpeak string
-  std::string plotPeakInput = "";
+  std::string plotPeakInput;
   for (int i = specMin; i < specMax + 1; i++) {
     std::string nextWs = tempFitWsName + ",i";
     nextWs += std::to_string(i);
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ void ConvolutionFitSequential::exec() {
   }
 
   // Construct comma separated list for ProcessIndirectFitParameters
-  std::string paramNamesList = "";
+  std::string paramNamesList;
   const size_t maxNames = paramNames.size();
   for (size_t i = 0; i < maxNames; i++) {
     paramNamesList += paramNames.at(i);
@@ -369,8 +369,8 @@ bool ConvolutionFitSequential::checkForTwoLorentz(
 std::vector<std::string>
 ConvolutionFitSequential::findValuesFromFunction(const std::string &function) {
   std::vector<std::string> result;
-  std::string fitType = "";
-  std::string functionName = "";
+  std::string fitType;
+  std::string functionName;
   auto startPos = function.rfind("name=");
   if (startPos != std::string::npos) {
     fitType = function.substr(startPos, function.size());
@@ -606,7 +606,7 @@ ConvolutionFitSequential::convertBackToShort(const std::string &original) {
  */
 std::string
 ConvolutionFitSequential::convertFuncToShort(const std::string &original) {
-  std::string result = "";
+  std::string result;
   if (original.compare("DeltaFunction") != 0) {
     if (original.at(0) == 'E') {
       result += "E";
diff --git a/Framework/WorkflowAlgorithms/src/DgsConvertToEnergyTransfer.cpp b/Framework/WorkflowAlgorithms/src/DgsConvertToEnergyTransfer.cpp
index fdba00a6888..319fc19a6be 100644
--- a/Framework/WorkflowAlgorithms/src/DgsConvertToEnergyTransfer.cpp
+++ b/Framework/WorkflowAlgorithms/src/DgsConvertToEnergyTransfer.cpp
@@ -169,8 +169,8 @@ void DgsConvertToEnergyTransfer::exec() {
                                    "find the initial energy");
         }
 
-        std::string loadAlgName("");
-        std::string fileProp("");
+        std::string loadAlgName;
+        std::string fileProp;
         if (boost::ends_with(runFileName, "_event.nxs") ||
             boost::ends_with(runFileName, ".nxs.h5") ||
             boost::ends_with(runFileName, ".nxs")) {
@@ -273,7 +273,7 @@ void DgsConvertToEnergyTransfer::exec() {
   const double binOffset = -monPeak;
 
   if ("ISIS" == facility) {
-    std::string detcalFile("");
+    std::string detcalFile;
     if (reductionManager->existsProperty("SampleDetCalFilename")) {
       detcalFile = reductionManager->getPropertyValue("SampleDetCalFilename");
     }
@@ -563,7 +563,7 @@ void DgsConvertToEnergyTransfer::exec() {
   // Mask and group workspace if necessary.
   MatrixWorkspace_sptr maskWS = this->getProperty("MaskWorkspace");
   MatrixWorkspace_sptr groupWS = this->getProperty("GroupingWorkspace");
-  std::string oldGroupFile("");
+  std::string oldGroupFile;
   std::string filePropMod = this->getProperty("AlternateGroupingTag");
   std::string fileProp = filePropMod + "OldGroupingFilename";
   if (reductionManager->existsProperty(fileProp)) {
diff --git a/Framework/WorkflowAlgorithms/src/DgsProcessDetectorVanadium.cpp b/Framework/WorkflowAlgorithms/src/DgsProcessDetectorVanadium.cpp
index 6700bfa2108..bd4a80c3715 100644
--- a/Framework/WorkflowAlgorithms/src/DgsProcessDetectorVanadium.cpp
+++ b/Framework/WorkflowAlgorithms/src/DgsProcessDetectorVanadium.cpp
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ void DgsProcessDetectorVanadium::exec() {
   if (reductionManager->existsProperty("SaveProcessedDetVan")) {
     bool saveProc = reductionManager->getProperty("SaveProcessedDetVan");
     if (saveProc) {
-      std::string outputFile("");
+      std::string outputFile;
       if (reductionManager->existsProperty("SaveProcDetVanFilename")) {
         outputFile =
             reductionManager->getPropertyValue("SaveProcDetVanFilename");
diff --git a/Framework/WorkflowAlgorithms/src/EQSANSDarkCurrentSubtraction.cpp b/Framework/WorkflowAlgorithms/src/EQSANSDarkCurrentSubtraction.cpp
index fcb36a553b9..007283c41f2 100644
--- a/Framework/WorkflowAlgorithms/src/EQSANSDarkCurrentSubtraction.cpp
+++ b/Framework/WorkflowAlgorithms/src/EQSANSDarkCurrentSubtraction.cpp
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ void EQSANSDarkCurrentSubtraction::init() {
 }
 
 void EQSANSDarkCurrentSubtraction::exec() {
-  std::string output_message = "";
+  std::string output_message;
   // Reduction property manager
   const std::string reductionManagerName = getProperty("ReductionProperties");
   boost::shared_ptr<PropertyManager> reductionManager;
diff --git a/Framework/WorkflowAlgorithms/src/EQSANSDarkCurrentSubtraction2.cpp b/Framework/WorkflowAlgorithms/src/EQSANSDarkCurrentSubtraction2.cpp
index bc6eae21943..4192b2e24f8 100644
--- a/Framework/WorkflowAlgorithms/src/EQSANSDarkCurrentSubtraction2.cpp
+++ b/Framework/WorkflowAlgorithms/src/EQSANSDarkCurrentSubtraction2.cpp
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ void EQSANSDarkCurrentSubtraction2::init() {
 }
 
 void EQSANSDarkCurrentSubtraction2::exec() {
-  std::string output_message = "";
+  std::string output_message;
   // Reduction property manager
   const std::string reductionManagerName = getProperty("ReductionProperties");
   boost::shared_ptr<PropertyManager> reductionManager;
diff --git a/Framework/WorkflowAlgorithms/src/EQSANSLoad.cpp b/Framework/WorkflowAlgorithms/src/EQSANSLoad.cpp
index 39ec27fba99..e86447ac3d9 100644
--- a/Framework/WorkflowAlgorithms/src/EQSANSLoad.cpp
+++ b/Framework/WorkflowAlgorithms/src/EQSANSLoad.cpp
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ std::string EQSANSLoad::findConfigFile(const int &run) {
       Kernel::ConfigService::Instance().getDataSearchDirs();
 
   int max_run_number = 0;
-  std::string config_file = "";
+  std::string config_file;
   static boost::regex re1("eqsans_configuration\\.([0-9]+)$");
   boost::smatch matches;
   for (const auto &searchPath : searchPaths) {
@@ -594,7 +594,7 @@ void EQSANSLoad::exec() {
 
   // Get the run number so we can find the proper config file
   int run_number = 0;
-  std::string config_file = "";
+  std::string config_file;
   if (dataWS->run().hasProperty("run_number")) {
     const std::string run_str =
         dataWS->run().getPropertyValueAsType<std::string>("run_number");
diff --git a/Framework/WorkflowAlgorithms/src/HFIRDarkCurrentSubtraction.cpp b/Framework/WorkflowAlgorithms/src/HFIRDarkCurrentSubtraction.cpp
index d4b11ecfd0c..f02ebc23bc1 100644
--- a/Framework/WorkflowAlgorithms/src/HFIRDarkCurrentSubtraction.cpp
+++ b/Framework/WorkflowAlgorithms/src/HFIRDarkCurrentSubtraction.cpp
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ void HFIRDarkCurrentSubtraction::init() {
 }
 
 void HFIRDarkCurrentSubtraction::exec() {
-  std::string output_message = "";
+  std::string output_message;
   // Reduction property manager
   const std::string reductionManagerName = getProperty("ReductionProperties");
   boost::shared_ptr<PropertyManager> reductionManager;
diff --git a/Framework/WorkflowAlgorithms/src/HFIRLoad.cpp b/Framework/WorkflowAlgorithms/src/HFIRLoad.cpp
index 2f3a68648f4..1ef222683c3 100644
--- a/Framework/WorkflowAlgorithms/src/HFIRLoad.cpp
+++ b/Framework/WorkflowAlgorithms/src/HFIRLoad.cpp
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ void HFIRLoad::exec() {
   const std::string fileName = getPropertyValue("Filename");
 
   // Output log
-  std::string output_message = "";
+  std::string output_message;
   const double wavelength_input = getProperty("Wavelength");
   const double wavelength_spread_input = getProperty("WavelengthSpread");
 
diff --git a/Framework/WorkflowAlgorithms/src/SANSSensitivityCorrection.cpp b/Framework/WorkflowAlgorithms/src/SANSSensitivityCorrection.cpp
index 056a7ccc61b..88930f0a990 100644
--- a/Framework/WorkflowAlgorithms/src/SANSSensitivityCorrection.cpp
+++ b/Framework/WorkflowAlgorithms/src/SANSSensitivityCorrection.cpp
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ void SANSSensitivityCorrection::exec() {
         const std::string darkCurrentFile = getPropertyValue("DarkCurrentFile");
 
         // Look for a dark current subtraction algorithm
-        std::string dark_result = "";
+        std::string dark_result;
         if (reductionManager->existsProperty("DarkCurrentAlgorithm")) {
           IAlgorithm_sptr darkAlg =
               reductionManager->getProperty("DarkCurrentAlgorithm");
-- 
GitLab