Although Richard was not a Littleborough lad he visited frequently and latterly I went butterfly spotting with him at numerous places. He began his legal training with J Bright Clegg in Rochdale in the late 1950s.  He eventually became the senior partner before a couple of amalgamations transferred his involvement to Molesworth’s, which I believe originated in Littleborough. He was an avid railway enthusiast and was instrumental as Chairman of STORM in the saving of the Oldham Loop line, now the Rochdale Metrolink line to Manchester via Oldham. He was also one of the early contributors to the railway preservation movement, serving as Chairman of the Keighley & Worth Valley operating company for a number of years.  He may be best known for his preservation of a number of locomotives including Bullied Pacific No 34092 City of Wells. He also personally preserved USA tank No 30072 which he had seen when studying law at Guildford, and Manchester Ship Canal tank locomotive No 31.  He had earlier set up the L&Y Saddletanks Fund (now the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Trust) which eventually succeeded in saving L&Y Pugs Nos 68 and 19, and saddletank No 752, along with four L&Y Carriages.

Richard was fundamental in getting steam operation returned to the national rail network by getting permission for City of Wells to run on the main lines and he became the Charman of the now defunct Steam Locomotives Operators Association.  For his work in contributing to national railway preservation he was awarded the MBE.

Richard was a keen railway photographer and frequently took pictures around Smithy Bridge, Littleborough, Gale Flats and Summit besides Todmorden, Rochdale, Milnrow etc. He also took many 8 mm and, later, 16mm movies including North Wales narrow gauge lines some of which have been seen on TV. Locally, he filmed an enthusiasts trip to the Tannery.

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