ONE of North Yorkshire's best-known rail engineers is to be given a lifetime achievement award - just days before his retirement.

Richard Gibbon, who retires as head of engineering collections at the National Railway Museum on July 2, is to pick up a gong from Prince Michael of Kent, patron of the Transport Trust. He made it a double success when he also scooped an outstanding contribution award from the Heritage Railway Association.

Richard, 59, from York, is one of the first people to achieve a lifetime award from the trust - a national charity which promotes the preservation of Britain's transport heritage. After a lifetime in rail, Richard now plans to spend his time painting and gardening. He said: "Many people see this as the best job in the world and in many ways it is - some even say they would pay the NRM for the privilege to do it!"

Andrew Scott, head of the museum, said: "Richard is one of the most enthusiastic and inventive engineers I have ever worked with, indeed I can't think of a mechanical problem he has not been able to solve."

Updated: 11:00 Friday, June 27, 2003