1. Patrick Bruce Whitehouse OBE was one of the pioneers of railway preservation, when he helped save the Talyllyn Railway in 1951.
15 Facts About Patrick Whitehouse
1. 2.
Patrick Whitehouse led the restoration to working order of several of Britain's steam locomotives after they were replaced by diesel locomotion in the 1960s.
3.
Post-WW2, Whitehouse returned to the family firm, initially becoming number three behind his father and uncle.
4.
Patrick Whitehouse was a member of what later became chronicled as the "Birmingham Railway Mafia", a group centred around a core of steam railway enthusiasts who were members of both the Birmingham Locomotive Club and West Midlands branch of the Stephenson Locomotive Society.
5.
Newly married, Patrick Whitehouse bought a Rolleiflex camera, and began chronicling the demise of steam and the railways in some of his favourite railway locations in the West Midlands.
6.
Patrick Whitehouse attended the founding meeting and accepted the position of Secretary of the preservation society.
7.
Patrick Whitehouse later became vice-president of the society, using his knowledge of civil engineering to help preserve and develop the permanent way, and became a skilled steam locomotive fireman on the line.
8.
In 1968, a group of business people, including Patrick Whitehouse, made an offer to BR to purchase the Vale of Rheidol Railway, which was turned down by the Labour Party government.
9.
Patrick Whitehouse responded that he wanted to buy a steam locomotive, which after within the room discussions with his staff, Raymond agreed to.
10.
Patrick Whitehouse helped secure a lease from BR on part of GWR Tyseley roundhouse which was due to be demolished.
11.
Patrick Whitehouse led the team which restored the LMS Jubilee Class No 5593 Kolhapur at the BRM.
12.
In 1952, with Tom Rolt undertaking the writing and Patrick Whitehouse contributing the photographs and research, Patrick Whitehouse co-authored his first book "Lines of Character".
13.
Patrick Whitehouse became the author or co-author of 53 books on railways, and built up a collection of more than a quarter of a million photographs of British and foreign railways.
14.
Patrick Whitehouse had inherited a Kodak film camera, on which he chronicled his excursions across the UK, Ireland and mainland Europe.
15.
Patrick Whitehouse's son Michael Whitehouse is a lawyer specialising in rail transport, and non-executive director of the Rail Freight Group.