New chairman appointed to Isle of Wight railway
DIRECTOR Peter Taylor has been appointed as the new chairman of the Isle of Wight Steam Railway, taking over from Peter Conway, who has retired from the board following 21 years of service.
Islander Peter has a lifelong passion for steam and first joined the Wight Locomotive Society as a teenager in 1967, regularly participating in working parties at Newport station prior to the move to Havenstreet in 1971. In recent years, he volunteered in the rolling stock department and qualified as a locomotive driver in 2017.
His career saw him work for local bus companies before he followed a path into traffic and transportation engineering with the Isle of Wight County Council.
He took early retirement from a senior role in 2011 and has served as one of the railway’s directors since 2013.
He also owns a 1927-built steam road roller which makes regular appearances at the line’s annual steam fair and is currently completing the restoration of a 1923 traction engine.
He said: “I feel very honoured to become the railway’s chairman, and look forward to continuing the excellent progress made by my predecessors.”
➜ The railway has recently been awarded a Travellers’ Choice Award from TripAdvisor.