straightforward because you get a lot of unusual specifications such as old threads from the 50s. “One of my companies is a railway maintenance company called Loram, who among other things service older locomotives such as the Class 37 diesel locomotives from the 1960s, which now run freight. A lot of this is more specialist work.” The Midlands industrial base offers Richard the opportunity to work on other interesting contracts such as Rolls Royce aero engines and Toyota Motor Manufacturing. Locomotives are not the only older vehicles Richard works with. “He likes messing about with motorbikes that he never repairs fully,” says Dave.
“I’ve got about five or six bikes,” he says. “When I first met my partner, I had about 12 – she’s halved that. “I also have three 1960s BSAs, a couple of mid 80s Japanese bikes and a 1999 track bike, which I’ve been told by Dave not to use in case I hurt myself.” Then there’s the 1966 Morris 1100, which Richard describes as “a full-on restoration project”, a Land Rover and a Leyland DAF 400 camper van. “I finished it about three years ago. We’ve been to Cornwall and driven it over the Hardknott Pass in the Lake District. That’s a gradient of about one in four, which was a bit touch and go.” There is clearly a nurturing side to Richard. As well as his partner’s daughter, he has two labradors from a rescue centre, one of which he
describes as “a complete nightmare, very wilful”. You get the feeling that it’s nothing that Richard couldn’t handle. Looking to the future, Richard says he would like to take an advanced hydraulics course, particularly considering the development of Total Hydraulics Management. “I can see myself moving into management,” he says, “but not owning a franchise, at least just yet.” Having achieved what he has in 10 years and with the absolute faith of his managers, it seems wise not to rule Richard out from anything.
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