Francis Edward Collinson
Francis Edward Collinson (1883-1950)
1951 Obituary [1]
"FRANCIS EDWARD COLLINSON, whose death occurred in Winnipeg on 27th April 1950 within a day of completing his sixty-seventh year, will be remembered for the valuable services he rendered to the Institution as a Member of the Canadian Advisory Committee since its inception. He was educated at Sedbergh School and the Durham College of Science, graduating from the University of London in 1901. After serving his time in the Gateshead shops of the North Eastern Railway from 1901 to 1904, he continued in the service of the company for a further seven years, successively occupying the positions of assistant machine shop foreman, locomotive inspector in charge of the running department at Darlington, assistant district foreman at Hull, and finally district locomotive foreman at Tweedmouth. He began his connection with Canada and its railways in 1912 and in the following year was appointed mechanical engineer with the charge of the drawing office in the motive power department of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway in Winnipeg. In this capacity he was responsible for the design and conversion of locomotives from coal to oil fuel. The years 1916-19 were spent on active service with H.M. Forces, after which he resumed his former duties in Winnipeg, in which he continued to be actively engaged until his retirement in 1948. Mr. Collinson was elected an Associate Member of the Institution in 1910 and transferred to Membership in 1922."