Phil Girdlestone - another steam champion lost

I have just heard of the recent passing of Phil Girdlestone following a cancer battle. Originally and engineer on the Ffestiniog Railway he was responsible for exploring and progressing modern steam design work with modifications to Linda in the 1980s. He moved to South Africa and operated a consultancy from there rebuilding two NGG16 Garratts with Gas Producer and other Wardale inspired changes and them moved on to other work with oil firing and steam development. His most recent project with a new boiler being built in Portugal. He has also written a fascinating book on the SAR class 25 4-8-4s.

Read more about him here: http://www.martynbane.co.uk/modernsteam/pg/pghome.htm

I was honered to fire for him once on the SBR Mallet number 9 during both their visits to Wales in 2011

 

I have been in touch with him in 2013 regarding the earliest paper on front-ends by Porta back in 1957. The original version was
in Spanish and very difficult to obtain. However he also possessed an English translation which he made available.
So, thanks to him, this paper is open to the public and can be inspected on the web.
I am sorry to hear he has passed away, he will be missed.

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2016/06/17/phil-girdlestone-steam-pioneer--obituary/

 

A sad loss, a gentalman of steam. Passionate about his work and a lover of South Africa. I have good memories of my days working on the NGG 16's for WHR with him. Now I am rebuilding ESK which he designed the conversion to Gas Producer combustion system. May he rest in pease in the steam workshops of heaven.