The LNER Encyclopedia

My wife is Robert(Robin)Riddles granddaughter. She is aware of the historical significance of her grandfather, although is not a steam loco fan like I am ( although even then, it cannot be said that I am a diedhard fan, either ! ).

We would be happy to exchange emails on Mr. Riddles, especially those that may throw more light on his wartime service with the Royal Engineers ( as an ex army officer I would, for example, like to know what rank he held ) as well as his time with Stothery and Pitt.

Steve Lyden-Brown.

Welcome to the forums!

Riddles didn't actually serve with the LNER, but the LNER did operate three of his types designed during WW2. The Austerity heavy freight engines (Class O7 2-8-0; and 2-10-0) were designed to be very cheap and easy to construct with very short intended operating lives - in reality many lasted into the 1960s.
The J94 0-6-0ST was based on an existing but relatively new Hunslet design. These proved ideal for industry, and lots have survived into preservation. As well as 'convenient' withdrawal dates, their power and size are good for small preservation lines.

Do you or your wife have a picture of Riddles that I could use on the site's biography page? The picture I currently have, isn't the best!
I can give credit for the picture, and a web address if you have one.

Do you have any further information I could add?

re. Royal Engineers: I haven't been able to find any further information about his WW1 experience. Most sources refer to his WW2 days when he was much more senior and designed or oversaw a number of well known projects.

I've found the following site, which you may have seen the following page:

http://www.steamindex.com/people/riddles.htm

This has differing interpretations of his work - but that's often the way in railway history. Multiple interpretations, limited knowledge, politics, and personal favourites

I'm sure there must be a biography that has been published in book form - does anyone else know of one?


Richard

Oh yes, we knew of his not serving with the LNER, but approached you as part of a general campaign we are conducting.

There certainly has been a biography printed. It is called "The Last Steam Locomotive Engineer : R.A.Riddles C.B.E. " and is by Col. H.C.B. Rogers and was published in 1970 by Unwins. We have a copy, of course.
Insofar as a photograph is concerned, Nana ( Mr. Riddles wife) has all of these and, regrettably, we only see her once a year at Christmas time, since she is 106 and lives in a nursing home near Calne, Wilts. I will see what we can do, though.

Indirectly you seem to already have answered one of my questions ( or, more accurately reminded me of the answer ! ), inasmuch as his time in the Second War was largely spent in a variety of government posts, whereas it would have been the Great War that saw him serve in the R.E.

Insofar as our being able to provide other more general information on " the Guv'nor", it would be difficult to know where to begin, but in the first instance we'd be happy to try an answer any questions put to us, but these would need to be about the man himself, since there are 1000's of people better qualified than I who could answer questions on his achivements !

Cheers,
Steve Lyden-Brown.

ah, Riddles. Designer of the Standard's!

Hello Richard,
Having given the matter further thought, I think that the best way forward on the subject of improving the quality of the picture of " the Guv'nor" that you have, will be if you were to show it to my wife and I.
We can then check it out and let you have one or more that we feel may be better. As a parameter, I am assuming that it is clarity that is important to you, rather than, say, whether his tie is crooked, or that he appears to be squinting etc. !

You can display your pic. be either emailing or faxing to 0870 1373957
Cheers,
Steve Lyden-Brown.
p.s. By the bye, a number of nice pics have recently come into our possession. I didn't mention them before since they are all printed in magazines. If we can overcome any copyright issues** then I am sure that any of these could be used, at least pending our seeing Nana at Christmas and seeing what she may have.
** Which may not be too formidable, since most of the magazines would appear to be no longer available.

Steve,

The facts speak for themselves:

Your wife's Grandfather was responsible for the design of two classes of War Department heavy freight locomotives of which 758 were operated by British Railways until the 1960s, together with a large number which continued to be used abroad after WW2 in Europe, Hong Kong and the Middle East. A number of these survive and some are operational in the UK in preservation.

Under his direction, a standard commercial design of heavy shunting locomotive was further developed for the Ministry of Supply and built in large numbers, 75 of which were operated by BR into the sixties. Many are preserved and some are operational.

Under his overall direction, seven classes of BR Standard locomotives were designed and constructed. The final total numbering 463 locomotives, of which examples of four classes survive and are operational. There are proposals to build examples of some of the three classes that missed preservation.

No doubt he also participated in the design of many fine locomotives in the inter war years.

The railways of Britain owe a debt of gratitude to a great man.

Colombo

Steve: I've sent a private message regarding photographs.

Colombo: I think even the armchair critics cannot deny that the Riddles 9Fs are one of *the* classic British locomotive designs. Even 'stuffed on a plinth', Evening Star looks the part for what it was designed (if a bit shiny ).

Richard

Actually, 12 types and 999.

How did Riddles feel when his engines were being scrapped, anyway?

With the historical importance, has anyone contacted the Imperial war museum. They should be able to search more of R.A. Riddles service in the Royal Engineers. This would be of interest to his family & to add abit more about him on the site.
Dave.

I think the company he worked for should be Stothert & Pitt instead of Stothery and Pitt. They are still in existence under the umbrella of Rolls Royce and build dock side cranes. The Last time i was involved with a Stothert & Pitt crane was when i was in Bahrain working for Morris cranes I met a Stothert & Pitt engineer who was Refurbishing dock cranes for Manama port.

It may be of interest to note that Stothert & Pitt supplied fabricated steel mechanical coaling plants to the LNER in the 1930s. These were to be found at ex-GNR and GER sheds, including Kings Cross.

Colombo.