Robert Riddles
Encyclopedia
Robert Arthur "Robin" Riddles, CBE, MIMechE, MinstLE (23 May 1892 — 18 June 1983) was a British locomotive engineer.
of the London and North Western Railway
as a premium apprentice in 1909, completing his apprenticeship in 1913. While attending the Mechanics Institute classes he took a course in electrical engineering, feeling there would be a future for electric traction. During the 1914-1918 Great War he served with the Royal Engineers
mainly in France, during which time he was badly wounded.
He returned to the LNWR at Crewe, and in 1920 became the "bricks and mortar assistant" with responsibility for the new erecting shop. When work on this was stopped, Riddles was placed in charge of a small production progress department and was sent to Horwich to study the methods used by the L&Y. From this Riddles gained some backing, and had significant influence in the re-organisation of Crewe which took place between 1925 and 1927.
In 1923 the LNWR became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
thus on completion of the work at Crewe, Riddles was sent to the ex-Midland Railway
works at Derby, now part of the LMS, to initiate a similar arrangement. In this task he had the active support of the then Derby works manager, H. G. Ivatt.
During the General Strike
in 1926 Riddles volunteered as a driver, taking trains from Crewe to Manchester and Carlisle. The experience gained made him almost unique among CMEs
; Riddles maintained that the practical knowledge of driving a locomotive that he gained was an invaluable aid to his design work.
In 1933 Riddles move to Euston to become Locomotive Assistant to the new Chief Mechanical Engineer, Sir William Stanier, and in 1935 became Stanier's Principal Assistant. In 1937 Riddles moved to Glasgow as Mechanical & Electrical Engineer - Scotland, the first to combine both engineering disciplines in a single title. However Riddles was disappointed that C. E. Fairburn was at this time appointed as Stanier's Deputy.
, becoming Director of Transportation Equipment, and later designed the WD Austerity 2-8-0
and WD Austerity 2-10-0
locomotives.
in 1944 he applied for the position of Chief Mechanical Engineer
, but the job went to George Ivatt
, with Riddles being promoted to Vice-President of the LMS.
, Chief Officer (Locomotive Construction and Maintenance), and E. S. Cox, Executive Officer (Design). The duties of these three effectively covered the old post of Chief Mechanical Engineer
; they subsequently oversaw the design of the British Railways (BR) standard classes. The last of these classes, the powerful BR Standard Class 9F
2-10-0
heavy freight locomotive, was considered by railway engineers to be the best steam locomotive ever designed.
of Bath, cranemakers.
Riddles was succeeded as Chief Mechanical Engineer of BR by J.F. Harrison.
LNWR and LMS
Riddles was born in 1892 and entered the Crewe WorksCrewe Works
Crewe railway works is a British railway engineering facility built in 1840 by the Grand Junction Railway. It is located in the town of Crewe, in the county of Cheshire....
of the London and North Western Railway
London and North Western Railway
The London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
as a premium apprentice in 1909, completing his apprenticeship in 1913. While attending the Mechanics Institute classes he took a course in electrical engineering, feeling there would be a future for electric traction. During the 1914-1918 Great War he served with the Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
mainly in France, during which time he was badly wounded.
He returned to the LNWR at Crewe, and in 1920 became the "bricks and mortar assistant" with responsibility for the new erecting shop. When work on this was stopped, Riddles was placed in charge of a small production progress department and was sent to Horwich to study the methods used by the L&Y. From this Riddles gained some backing, and had significant influence in the re-organisation of Crewe which took place between 1925 and 1927.
In 1923 the LNWR became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
London, Midland and Scottish Railway
The London Midland and Scottish Railway was a British railway company. It was formed on 1 January 1923 under the Railways Act of 1921, which required the grouping of over 120 separate railway companies into just four...
thus on completion of the work at Crewe, Riddles was sent to the ex-Midland Railway
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
works at Derby, now part of the LMS, to initiate a similar arrangement. In this task he had the active support of the then Derby works manager, H. G. Ivatt.
During the General Strike
General strike
A general strike is a strike action by a critical mass of the labour force in a city, region, or country. While a general strike can be for political goals, economic goals, or both, it tends to gain its momentum from the ideological or class sympathies of the participants...
in 1926 Riddles volunteered as a driver, taking trains from Crewe to Manchester and Carlisle. The experience gained made him almost unique among CMEs
Chief Mechanical Engineer
Chief Mechanical Engineer and Locomotive Superintendent are titles applied by British, Australian, and New Zealand railway companies to the person ultimately responsible to the board of the company for the building and maintaining of the locomotives and rolling stock...
; Riddles maintained that the practical knowledge of driving a locomotive that he gained was an invaluable aid to his design work.
In 1933 Riddles move to Euston to become Locomotive Assistant to the new Chief Mechanical Engineer, Sir William Stanier, and in 1935 became Stanier's Principal Assistant. In 1937 Riddles moved to Glasgow as Mechanical & Electrical Engineer - Scotland, the first to combine both engineering disciplines in a single title. However Riddles was disappointed that C. E. Fairburn was at this time appointed as Stanier's Deputy.
Ministry of Supply
In 1939 with the Second World War having just started, he moved to the Ministry of SupplyMinistry of Supply
The Ministry of Supply was a department of the UK Government formed in 1939 to co-ordinate the supply of equipment to all three British armed forces, headed by the Minister of Supply. There was, however, a separate ministry responsible for aircraft production and the Admiralty retained...
, becoming Director of Transportation Equipment, and later designed the WD Austerity 2-8-0
WD Austerity 2-8-0
The War Department "Austerity" 2-8-0 is a type of heavy freight steam locomotive that was introduced in 1943 for war service. A total of 935 were built.- Overview :...
and WD Austerity 2-10-0
WD Austerity 2-10-0
The War Department "Austerity" 2-10-0 is a type of heavy freight steam locomotive that was introduced during the Second World War in 1943.-Background:...
locomotives.
Return to LMS
In 1943 he moved to the post of Chief Stores Superintendent at the LMS - it has been said that he was anxious to get back into the railway business. On the death of Charles FairburnCharles Fairburn
Charles Edward Fairburn was Chief Mechanical Engineer of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway.- Biography :...
in 1944 he applied for the position of Chief Mechanical Engineer
Chief Mechanical Engineer
Chief Mechanical Engineer and Locomotive Superintendent are titles applied by British, Australian, and New Zealand railway companies to the person ultimately responsible to the board of the company for the building and maintaining of the locomotives and rolling stock...
, but the job went to George Ivatt
George Ivatt
Henry George Ivatt known as George Ivatt, was the post-war Chief Mechanical Engineer of the London Midland and Scottish Railway. He was the son of the Great Northern Railway locomotive engineer Henry Ivatt....
, with Riddles being promoted to Vice-President of the LMS.
British Railways
Upon the creation of the Railway Executive in 1947 in preparation for the nationalisation of the railways in 1948, he was appointed Member of the Railway Executive for Mechanical and Electrical Engineering. He had two principal assistants, both of whom were also former LMS men: Roland C. BondRoland Bond
Roland Curling Bond was a British locomotive engineer.-Biography:Bond was born in Ipswich in 1903, and became interested in railways when staying in Yarmouth during the Great War. He was educated at Tonbridge School....
, Chief Officer (Locomotive Construction and Maintenance), and E. S. Cox, Executive Officer (Design). The duties of these three effectively covered the old post of Chief Mechanical Engineer
Chief Mechanical Engineer
Chief Mechanical Engineer and Locomotive Superintendent are titles applied by British, Australian, and New Zealand railway companies to the person ultimately responsible to the board of the company for the building and maintaining of the locomotives and rolling stock...
; they subsequently oversaw the design of the British Railways (BR) standard classes. The last of these classes, the powerful BR Standard Class 9F
BR standard class 9F
The British Railways BR Standard Class 9F 2-10-0 is a class of steam locomotive designed for British Railways by Robert Riddles. The Class 9F was the last in a series of standardised locomotive classes designed for British Railways during the 1950s, and was intended for use on fast, heavy freight...
2-10-0
2-10-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-10-0 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, ten powered and coupled driving wheels on five axles, and no trailing wheels...
heavy freight locomotive, was considered by railway engineers to be the best steam locomotive ever designed.
Retirement
Riddles retired in 1953 on the abolition of the Railway Executive, and became a director of Stothert & PittStothert & Pitt
Stothert & Pitt were a British engineering company founded in 1785 in Bath, England. They were the builders of a variety of engineering products ranging from Dock cranes to construction plant and household cast iron items. They went out of business in 1989...
of Bath, cranemakers.
Riddles was succeeded as Chief Mechanical Engineer of BR by J.F. Harrison.