Richard was born in Toronto and his earliest railway memories are of C.N.R. Mimico station and roundhouse. He graduated with an M.A. in history and after teaching for 30 years, retired as the Department Head of History and Social Sciences of a west end Toronto high school. He then qualified to become an independent school archivist, a position he held for five years during which time he developed a museum and brought the archives into the digital era.

Richard has been an active HO modeller for many years, focussing on the Grand Trunk Railway in the early 20^th century. He spent six years researching and writing the book, From Wood to Steel: Classic Canadian Railway Passenger Cars from 1860 to 1920, based on the scale plans developed by the late Andrew Merrilees from original railway drawings and photos.