Greenly is perhaps best remembered for his miniature locomotive designs. He worked closely with many engineering companies, including Bassett-Lowke and its various engineering subsidiary companies. In 1909, along with Wenman Joseph Bassett-Lowke, Henry Greenly started and edited Model Railways and Locomotives Magazine.
He worked with Captain J E P Howey on the designs for the world-famous Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway in Kent, England, and served as that railway's Chief Engineer. He was also involved with innovative locomotive design work at the nearby Saltwood Miniature Railway.
Greenly Engineering Models
Greenly established his own miniature railway engineering company Greenly Engineering Models in Hounslow, Middlesex, and his renowned engineering design skills were well matched with the practical engineering skills of his workshop engineering manager Jock Campbell.
Legacy
Greenly's designs have been celebrated in countless periodicals and books, but the greatest testimony to his skill is the enormous number of his locomotives that are still operating today.
North British RailwayS class (later LNER J37 class) 0-6-0 freight tender engine designed by William Reid, two inside cylinders, slide valves, indirect link motion with rocker arm valve gear.
BR class 4 2-6-4T tank engine, two outside cylinders, piston or slide valves, Walschaerts valve gear
3½ inch gauge
Caledonian Railway 113 class 4-4-0 tender engine No. 114, designed by William Pickersgill, two inside cylinders, slide valves, Stephenson's valve gear
LNER Class A14-6-2 Pacific tender engine, two outside cylinders, slide valves, Walschaerts valve gear. Model with replica tapered boiler designed by J Greenly Steel while working part-time for Greenly & Steel of Princes Risborough, Bucks.
5-inch gauge
SR King Arthur class 4-6-0 tender engine, two outside cylinders, piston valves, Walschaerts valve gear
War Department Austerity2-8-0 tender engine, two outside cylinders, piston valves, Walschaerts valve gear
LMS Rebuilt Royal Scot class 4-6-0 tender engine No. 46103 '’Royal Scots Fusilier'’, designed by Henry Fowler rebuilt by William Stanier, three cylinders, slide or piston valves, three sets of Walschaerts valve gear. The 5" gauge model design of the rebuilt Royal Scot Class with a tapered boiler was designed by Greenly's grandson John Greenly Steel, Chartered Engineer when he was working part-time for Greenly and Steel in Princes Risborough, Bucks, UK. His signature appears on the drawings MR1 to MR18.
LMS Turbomotive 4-6-2, steam turbine driven tender engine, full size locomotive designed by Sir William Stanier in 1935. The 5-inch gauge locomotive with an impulse type steam turbine was designed by John Greenly Steel in 1949 whilst working in the Buckinghamshire office of Greenly and Steel which had taken over the model engineering business founded by Henry Greenly.
7¼ inch gauge
GWR King class 4-6-0 tender engine, four cylinders, piston valves, twin inside Walschaerts valve gear.
Risborough 4-6-4T tank engine freelance design with two outside cylinders, piston valves, outside Walschaerts valve gear.
15-inch gauge
Little Giant class Atlantic 4-4-2 with two outside cylinders, slide valves, inside Stephenson's valve gear, ¼ scale or 3 inches to the foot, first built in 1904, over time a total of 9 were built all by Bassett-Lowke
Sans Pareil class Atlantic 4-4-2 with two outside cylinders, slide valves, inside Stephenson's valve gear, scale; 3¼ inches to the foot, first built in 1911, over time a total of 3 were built all by Bassett-Lowke
Colossus type Pacific 4-6-2 design akin to the original '’Colossus'’ designed for Howey which later passed to the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway with two outside cylinders, piston valves, outside Walschaerts valve gear, scale; 3¼ inches to the foot
Green Goddess, Northern Chief, Southern Maid, Typhoon and Hurricane all Great Northern/LNER style Pacific 4-6-2 tender engines built for the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway in 1925 & 1927 at ⅓ scale or 4 inches to the foot by Davey-Paxman & Co. All now with 2 cylinders, piston valves and Walschaerts valve gear.
Hercules and Samson both freelance design but LNER style Mountain 4-8-2 tender engines built for the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway in 1925 at ⅓ scale or 4 inches to the foot by Davey-Paxman & Co. Both with 2 cylinders, piston valves and Walschaerts valve gear.
Published books
Greenly (1904). The Model Locomotive. Percival Marshall & Co.
Greenly (1906). Model Electric Locomotives. Percival Marshall & Co.
Greenly (1906). Model Steam Engines. Percival Marshall & Co.
Greenly; Marshall (1907). Flying Machines, Past Present and Future. Percival Marshall & Co.
Greenly; Bassett-Lowke (1910). Model Railway Handbook. Bassett-Lowke Ltd.
Greenly (2010) [1915]. Model Engineering, a Guide to Model Workshop Practice. Cassell & Co. Ltd. ISBN 9781603863124.
Greenly; Steel (1953) [1921]. Model Railways, Their Design, Details and Practical Construction. Cassell & Co. Ltd.
Greenly (2005) [1922]. Model Steam Locomotives. Camden Miniature Steam Services. ISBN 0-9547131-2-5.
Greenly (1935) [1922]. Model Electric Locomotives and Railways, Their Details and Practical Construction. Cassell & Co. Ltd.
