TR presents volunteer award – in Cornwall

Few foresaw that a fallout from the Covid pandemic would be the Talyllyn Railway Preservation Society presenting one of its volunteers with a long-service award, 250 miles away in Cornwall.

But on a hot and sunny afternoon in August, the Launceston Steam Railway hosted the event on behalf of the TRPS.

Michael Farr, well known for his expert knowledge and printing of tickets (which he described in NGW162), started volunteering on the TR in 1952 and in the following year became ‘Learner Guard No 3’ – he still has the card to prove it.

More recently he has not been able to be quite so active but as he had clocked up more than 50 years volunteering, the TRPS wished to honour him. The fallout from Covid lockdowns has left Michael with little prospect of being able to travel to Tywyn, so arrangements were made for the Award to be presented locally.

Michael is also well known at the LSR, where he has not only provided tickets, but has also helped staff the line and by good fortune, LSR Director Jonathan Mann is also Chairman of the TRPS, and so it was agreed that Michael would be presented with his award on the Cornish line.

The presentation was made at Newmills Station, in the presence of fellow 009 modellers and members of the public. The two railways have enjoyed a good working relationship for a number of years and the steam-driven air pumps that are made by the TR in its Pendre works are based on the pump designed by LSR managing director Nigel Bowman for his locomotive ‘Lilian’.

“It was a real pleasure to provide the venue for this presentation – Michael is a good friend of the railway, and is one of the few connected with railway preservation almost since the beginning,” Nigel said.

“Unlike the Talyllyn Railway, which is run by volunteers, the LSR employs a small – but versatile – staff.

“However, like the Talyllyn, we run our railway because we value our heritage and the traditional skills and values, and we wish to see these passed on to another generation. It is thanks to people like Michael that we have such a vibrant heritage movement today.”

Michael Farr (left) receives his TRPS longservice award from LSR Director and TRPS chairman, Jonathan Mann.