John G. Robinson

Born at Newcastle upon Tyne, the second son of Matthew Robinson, a locomotive engineer, and his wife Jane, Robinson was educated at the Chester Grammar School, and in 1872 commenced an engineering apprenticeship with the Great Western Railway at Swindon Works, as a pupil of Joseph Armstrong.

In 1900 Robinson joined the Great Central Railway as locomotive and marine superintendent[2] and in 1902 was appointed chief mechanical engineer.

He remained in that post until 1922, when prior to the Great Central's grouping into the London and North Eastern Railway he declined the post of chief mechanical engineer of the LNER, choosing instead to step aside for the younger Nigel Gresley.

[3] Robinson's famous GCR Class 8K 2-8-0 heavy freight locomotive was introduced in 1911 and many more were built for the Railway Operating Division of the Royal Engineers in 1917.

Some of these reliable locomotives, of which over 400 were built, remained in service with the LNER and later British Railways until 1966.