Reverend Richard Paten was born in 1932 to a Peterborough Business family, schooled at Marlborough, did National Service in the Royal Engineers. Obtained engineering degrees at Cambridge in 1956, became a chartered civil engineer 5 years later, after working for Rhodesia Railways, Halcrows London on harbour design and Costain opencast mining Scotland.
After training in Oxford, he became an ordained Anglican in 1963, served in Leicester then Peterborough, doing 24 years as Community Relations Chaplain.
After buying 73050 and bringing her to Peterborough, he worked with the local railway interest groups and the city council to find a way of keeping railways alive for future generations.
He was founder chairman of the Nene Valley Railway, and subsequently Railworld in 1985. Peterborough Civic Society President and made Freeman of the city in 2008.
Richard would say that he was blessed with three children and their families.
