Published: 05/11/2025 14:41
This year marks two remarkable milestones for Mike Tindale, Technical Associate at Richter — his 80th birthday and 54 years as a Chartered Civil Engineer.
Since graduating from Cardiff University in 1968, Mike has dedicated nearly six decades to civil engineering, contributing to some of the UK’s most technically challenging and iconic projects — including the Medway Immersed Tube Tunnel, A249 Sheppey Crossing, Leven Viaduct, Canary Wharf Underground Station, and Battersea Power Station.
Born in Kingston Upon Thames, Mike’s fascination with engineering began early. He spent part of his childhood in the Middle East, where his father worked as a Land and Sea Surveyor, before returning to the UK. His uncle, meanwhile, was a Mechanical Engineer for the Coal Board, so engineering ran in the family. After boarding at Adams Grammar School in Wem, he went on to study Civil Engineering at Cardiff University, graduating in 1968.
He began his career with Braithwaites, where he worked on Dungeness B Power Station and the British European Airways (BEA) Aircraft Servicing Hangar at Heathrow Airport — a landmark of British industrial engineering completed in 1971. Braithwaite engineers manufactured the steelwork for the hangar’s octagonal columns and 3,200-tonne roof, hydraulically lifted 20.5 metres into place over eight days. Mike spent much of his time on site, ensuring Braithwaite’s sections were assembled in the correct order and sequence so the lift could proceed safely.
“It was the complete opposite of academia,” he recalls. “It was hands-on, practical — like a graduate apprenticeship. I learnt a lot very quickly.”
After joining Staffordshire County Council as a Bridge Engineer, Mike designed key projects such as the Hanford Interchange and was responsible for the preliminary design of all the structures on the A5 Tamworth Bypass. He then joined Tarmac (later Carillion), becoming part of the Central Engineering Department’s Temporary Works team, where he took on some of Britain’s most ambitious infrastructure schemes:
- Medway Immersed Tube Tunnel (Kent) – Designed two 15-metre-deep double-skinned tied cofferdams of tubular steel and intermediate sheet piles to enable construction of the immersed tunnel sections beneath the River Medway — a highly complex and safety-critical structure.
- A249 Sheppey Crossing (Kent) – A £100 million design, build, finance and operate project completed in 2006. Mike’s responsibility was to check and verify the temporary-works design and bridge-launch arrangements, which involved three major launches across the Swale. He also prepared the Approval in Principle (AIP) and signed the Form C to confirm design compliance prior to construction.
- Leven Viaduct Deck Replacement (Morecambe Bay) – Responsible for the preliminary design and checking of the gantry used in the 45-span twin-line deck replacement, and for the design of the runner system that supported the gantry — maintaining safety and efficiency in challenging tidal conditions.
- Canary Wharf Underground Station (Crossrail Place) – Collaborated with Foster + Partners on the elliptical concrete geometry of the station, designing the shutter formwork and coordinate system that enabled the curved concrete to be cast precisely to shape.
Although Mike officially retired from Carillion at the age of 68, his passion for engineering never waned. He continued to work in consultancy and later joined Richter, where he still provides technical advice and mentoring to engineers across the business.
One of his most rewarding post-retirement projects was Battersea Power Station, where he designed the temporary works supporting sheet piles for the individual props and provided on-site technical guidance throughout construction.
“Battersea brought everything together — design, site work, managing people, and communicating the engineering rationale behind every decision,” Mike reflects. “I had to use everything I’d learned over the years — technically and personally.”
Even now, Mike can often be found reading design standards.
“You never stop learning,” he says. “You need to keep your knowledge up to date because you never know when you’ll need it.”
When asked what advice he’d give to early-career engineers, Mike doesn’t hesitate:
“Learn something every day. Never think you know it all. Be hungry for understanding and always listen to people on site — they often hold information you don’t yet have and understanding what they’re telling you is key to getting the job right.”
He also credits his success to the mentors who shaped his career — from his Chief Engineer at Braithwaites to his Group Engineer at Staffordshire County Council and Chief Engineer at Tarmac Carillion.
Looking back, Mike says he’s most grateful for his family, who “keep him grounded,” and for the opportunities he’s had to work on projects of every size and scale.
“I’ve worked on small schemes and large, complex ones — and I wouldn’t change a thing.”
Those who know Mike describe him as quietly brilliant and deeply humble — someone who doesn’t seek the spotlight. He’s quick to credit others, and when asked how he feels about his achievements, he simply says he’s been “fortunate to have had the opportunities.” He knows what he’s contributed but never feels the need to make a big deal of it — a quality that makes his impact even more enduring.
As he celebrates 54 years as a Chartered Engineer on 5 November and his 80th birthday on 9 December, Mike remains a true example of lifelong learning, integrity, and engineering excellence — inspiring both seasoned professionals and the next generation alike.
