Good Friends

Perhaps the most important thing about the Talyllyn Railway is often missing from my Blip record.  The people involved.  They often feature peripherally but today I want to redress the balance.  The line is known for it's friendly welcome and it has been immortalised in a 1950's film titled 'Railway With a Heart of Gold.'  We often talk about 'The Railway Family'  .... which as you might expect has it's share of eccentric aunts and uncles but joking apart, it is great to be part of a very inclusive and caring community.  Indeed I am very grateful to long time Talyllyn friends who let me stay in their wonderful cottage this weekend - follow this link for info on the nicest holiday let in Tywyn!

Today I have chosen to feature Mike, a retired engine driver.  He has worked on the railway as long as I can remember (so that's over 40 years,) for a long time as a member of the permanent engineering staff.  He and Liz his wife worked as volunteers on the extension of the railway in the mid 1970's when the uppermost part of the line was converted for passenger traffic having previously been used only for slate wagons.  Throughout his time here he has been a volunteer engine driver.  Although now past the age when drivers have to hang up their caps, he was assisting on the footplate as Fireman today on a train celebrating the 25th Birthday of our newest locomotive, Tom Rolt, built by the Talyllyn engineers.  Mike was the driver of Tom Rolt on the engine's inaugural run 25 years ago.

While he may not be an eccentric uncle, he's still got the joker's twinkle in his eye :-)

Extra pics: 
Two birthdays (Diesel engine 'Midlander' is 75 this year) were celebrated with cake and champagne.
There are Red Kites nesting in the area ..... if you walk in the woods for long enough ..... one of the best places to see them is at Nant-yr-Arian inland from Aberystwyth.