James L. Gray

Who is James L. Gray?

James Laird Gray FREng was a leading light in the field of steam turbine technology in the UK.

Born in Glasgow in 1926, he was educated in the early war years and qualified for university entrance at the age of just 16. However, he was too young to be admitted, and took up an apprenticeship at Yarrow Shipbuilders Ltd in Scotstoun. This was not his first job, however; he had also spent two school summers lumberjacking near Castle Kennedy. At 17 he entered Glasgow University and three years later graduated with a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering.

Leaving his native Scotland, he traveled south to begin a career in steam turbine and power station engineering with a post at English Electric in Rugby. In an article published at his retirement, he gave credit for this direction to the chief engineer of English Electric who said "forget naval turbines" and steered him towards power station steam turbines which were "the thing of the future."

Jim Gray married his wife Mary in 1954, and had three children, Alex, Susan and John.

After English Electric, Gray joined the British Electricity Authority, which later became the Central Electricity Authority and then the Central Electricity Generating Board, where he became head of the CEGB's Turbine Generator Design Branch. A move by the CEGB's Generation, Design and Construction department to Barnwood required him to relocate to Gloucestershire, but he was not happy with the move, and a couple of years later he left to become Manager of Generation, Design and Technical Services at the South of Scotland Electricity Board in Glasgow.