Ashes of NVR volunteer scattered by Jubilee Bahamas
LONG SERVING Nene Valley Railway volunteer Doreen Foster had a fitting send-off when her ashes were scattered by her favourite locomotive, LMS Jubilee 4-6-0 No. 45596 Bahamas.
Doreen, who died on June 27 at the age of 87, was a volunteer at the NVR from its reopening in 1977 until 1999, after which she ran the café and ticket office at the adjacent Railworld Wildlife Haven for more than 10 years.
Her work was recognised with a Queen's Award for Voluntary Service in 2018, presented by HRH The Duke of Gloucester.
Her ashes were placed in the firebox of the visiting Jubilee on August 21 at Orton Mere station, where she had previously held the post of stationmistress.
At the regulator of the Stanier 4-6-0 was NVR locomotive superintendent Paul Roe, who Doreen had known from the age of 13.