ROB WILLIAMS
Rob Williams, 42, is the chairman of Cambrian Heritage Railways
I can't think of any reason to leave Oswestry. It's a small town and, when you are there, you usually recognise someone—friends or family. It's a
Welsh town in England and has the best of both cultures. I love that it is not only a market town but also a railway town. Our history has been shaped by both those things.
For me, being an Oswestry resident is very much being a part of the culture of the town. My interest in the heritage railway goes back to my teens and I enjoy that the railway history has created the modern town.
The Oswestry spirit has been forged by the border connection. It has been confrontational in the past but now it celebrates the mix of the two lands. We're good at getting things done, like the railway re-opening. It has taken a long time but there was always the determination and perseverance to make it happen.
I am chairman of Cambrian Heritage Railway and have been involved since 1996. The railway was once the biggest independent railway in Wales and yet its headquarters were in Oswestry in Shropshire, England. The railway changed the face of Oswestry when it was built, doubling the size of the town.
It has been a privilege to be part of the group of volunteers that have re-opened the first one and three quarter mile track to run trains since 1966. In 1860, they said that no other town in England benefited from the arrival of trains as much as Oswestry. We are hoping that the reopening of the railway will emulate that and bring a new generation of visitors to the town and that they will want to see more and stay longer.
We now have not only a regular train service at weekends but also a fascinating museum of railway heritage, the original booking office and waiting room at Oswestry and the new station down at Weston Wharf. Every ticket is a day rover so visitors can come and go all day if they want to. The railway is a real community asset and we want locals and visitors alike to enjoy it.
I am a great people watcher and there are so many spots in the town centre that I enjoy. Festival Square, with the Borderland Farmer statue, is one and the town centre park with its beautiful flower displays is another.
For more information head to visitshropshire.co.uk