Richard Coleby – Committee Member and Trustee
Richard Coleby
Richard Coleby
Richard served an Engineering Apprenticeship at Derby Loco Works in the last years of steam during which he gained an in-depth knowledge of the repair and maintenance of steam locomotives.
After completing his apprenticeship, he moved to Hunts Bank in Manchester where he was involved in the day-to-day maintenance of the overhead line system.
After leaving BR in 1969, he set up in partnership to build large-scale miniature steam locomotives and was responsible for the design of several engines, including the famous Stapleford Nickel Plate Berkshire (which, at the time, was the most powerful 1/5th-scale locomotive in the world), and the 59 class Garratt now resident at the NRM.
On leaving the partnership in 1973, Richard joined a company producing packaging equipment, where he headed the design office. He was responsible for producing packaging machinery which has gone to the four corners of the globe.
Now retired, Richard has returned to his first love and is utilising his design experience to good effect both in assisting in some of the detailed design of the 5AT and also working on new large-scale miniature locomotive designs, such as the new Garratt “Norfolk Heroine” for the 10¼ gauge Wells & Walsingham Railway.
Richard worked with the 5AT Project from 2006 and completed several complex 3D drawings, some of which can be found through the Drawings page of the 5AT website. One example of these drawings is shown below.
Photos of some of Richard’s other steam creations can also be seen below.
Richard Coleby’s Nickel Plate Berkshire, built c.1970, and at the time the most powerful 1/5th scale locomotive in the world. Now residing and operating on the Stapleford Miniature Railway in Leicestershire. [Photo by Chris Newman 2011]
“John H. Gretton” built in 1948 by David Curwen and later fitted with totally enclosed rotary valve gear, roller crosshead, improved exhaust and other modifications, designed, built and fitted by Richard Coleby. The loco is owned and operated by the Stapleford Miniature Railway in Leicestershire. [Photo by Chris Newman 2011]
Wells & Walsingham Railway’s 10¼” gauge Garratt “Norfolk Heroine”, designed and part-built by Richard Coleby. Completed and photographed in 2011. (Chris Newman standing beside loco.) [Photo by Chris Newman 2011]
Post Script: Railway historians might be interested to learn that Richard’s father, Eric Coleby (1888–1974), was a prominent legal adviser to the London and North-Eastern Railway (LNER) and later BR. He served as Assistant Solicitor to the LNER from 1935 until 1945 and Chief Assistant Solicitor from 1945 to 1948. Following nationalization of the railways in 1948, he was appointed Regional Solicitor for the Eastern Region of the newly formed British Railways. In these roles, his office was down the corridor from Gresley‘s at Kings Cross. He was also personally acquainted with Edward Thompson and (in BR days) Roland Bond.
As Assistant Solicitor, Eric Coleby worked under Miles Beevor when he was Chief Legal Advisor to the railway company. Beevor became Acting Chief General Manager for LNER in June 1947, after which he became Chief Secretary and legal advisor for the British Transport Commission. A4 locomotive No. 4485 Kestral (numbered 60026 in 1948) was renamed Miles Beevor in November 1947 in his honour.