James Rankin (c1895-1947)
1948 Obituary [1]
"JAMES RANKIN held the important position of works super intendent of the Crewe locomotive works, London Midland Region of British Railways, with control of 7,500 employees. He was educated at the Academy and Technical College in Kilmarnock and served his apprenticeship with Messrs. Andrew Barclay, Sons and Company, Ltd., from 1912 to 1920. He then entered the service of the Midland Railway and was employed in the drawing office of the locomotive department at Derby.
Later he was made works assistant and for a time was assistant to the works manager at Crewe. After serving as assistant works super intendent at Horwich for five years, he became acting works superintendent at Derby, the appointment being confirmed two years later. His final position at Crewe dated from 1946. Mr. Rankin was elected an Associate Member of the Institution in 1940 and was transferred to Membership only a few months before his death, which occurred on 24th December 1947, at the age of fifty-two."