The Clergy and Railways. .............

[phil_sutters]

A new meaning to the Ministry of Transport

[russ p]

The clergy and model railways must be an international thing as reverend Tim Lovejoy in the Simpsons is a railway enthusiast and has a model railway.... hope i haven't lowered the tone 

[Tim Hall]

3 hours ago, russ p said:

The clergy and model railways must be an international thing as reverend Tim Lovejoy in the Simpsons is a railway enthusiast and has a model railway.... hope i haven't lowered the tone 

No...

 

but you have missed a clip of him playing trains on the previous page...:)

 

[Giles]

My father, Rev Brian Favell was a late ordinand in the '60s after a career as an electrical designer for Rayrolls. He was a life-long enthusiast when he had time - which was very limited.

He spent 25 years building as 2 1/2" gauge Austere Ada, which he had to sell on its completion to buy a fire for the house

 

 

When Vicar a Cwmtillery in South Wales in 1976, we built a short 10 1/4" line beside the vicarage. Only a railcar ever ran on it till some vandals got to it.

And lastly, Dad designed the 10 1/4" Bagnall which I much later built,  and has now done nearly 20 years at the South Downs Light Railway.

 

He also built in 0 gauge, both electric and live steam when he could, which wasn't often. His responsibilities always came first! He was an amazing chap!

 

Edited November 16, 2020 by Giles

[Welchester]

1 hour ago, Giles said:

My father, Rev Brian Favell was a late ordinand in the '60s after a career as an electrical designer for Rayrolls. He was a life-long enthusiast when he had time - which was very limited.

He spent 25 years building as 2 1/2" gauge Austere Ada, which he had to sell on its completion to buy a fire for the house

 

 

When Vicar a Cwmtillery in South Wales in 1976, we built a short 10 1/4" line beside the vicarage. Only a railcar ever ran on it till some vandals got to it.

And lastly, Dad designed the 10 1/4" Bagnall which I much later built,  and has now done nearly 20 years at the South Downs Light Railway.

 

He also built in 0 gauge, both electric and live steam when he could, which wasn't often. His responsibilities always came first! He was an amazing chap!

 

 

I think I remember your father, though for some reason in connection with Cwmcarn, rather than Cwmtillery. I was in the other valley at the time.

[Giles]

Well well..... Yes - he went from Cwmtillery to Cwmcarn until he retired!!!!1

[1E BoY]

During my professional railway career I came across Railway Chaplains who would call into offices or other work locations to make sure we were all ok - they were particuarly busy when many colleagues found themselves suddenly out of work in the early stages of privatisation and needed a friendly chat with someone.

 

Of course they would sometimes take part in locomotive namings (particulary those which commemorated a deceased colleague), plaque dedications, sometimes funerals and at times like Rememberance Day when train operating companies and other sections of the railway industry would come together to remember those who gave their lives. An annual ceremony takes place each year at the memorial outside Euston station and I represented my then employers on at least one occasion to lay the company wreath.

 

Details of the organisation which provides this function to railwaymen and railwaywomen across the nation can be found here https://railwaymission.org/

 

 

Edited November 16, 2020 by 1E BoY
Spelling error

[phil_sutters]

My father, the then Vicar of Highbridge, rededicated the Somerset & Dorset Railway War Memorial, when it moved to its final resting place in Southwell Gardens. It had started its life at Highbridge Works and when that was closed it was moved to the end of the SDJR station building at Highbridge, until that also was made redundant by the closure of the line.

https://www.burnhamandhighbridgeweeklynews.co.uk/news/15107316.highbridge-war-memorial-at-southwell-gardens-given-grade-ii-listed-status/

[burgundy]

On 16/11/2020 at 10:54, 1E BoY said:

 

Details of the organisation which provides this function to railwaymen and railwaywomen across the nation can be found here https://railwaymission.org/

 

 

There is an interesting article about the Brighton railway mission here.

https://www.mybrightonandhove.org.uk/places/placechur/the-railway-mission/the-railway-mission

I suspect that there is also a family link, although I have not explored it.

Best wishes 

Eric 

PS A little googling today established that the lady is almost certainly my great, great aunt.  

Edited November 17, 2020 by burgundy
Postscript added

[Adam88]

When I was at school our headmaster arranged for Eric Treacy to conduct an anniversary service.  I remember that sermon was couched in railway terminology although sadly I cannot recall the finer details - probably something like life's just like a railway journey...

[Fat Controller]

A friend of mine was a transport chaplain, whilst also working as part-time station staff. He is also a railway modeller.

 

[1E BoY]

Another well known author passed away recently. 

 

The author of the long standing series Locks Siding in BRM from the first edition and author of "Jack the Station Cat" series of children's books often seen in heritage railway shops.

 

[Nearholmer]

A well-known early model railway enthusiast was Rev. Parley, who built and ran a big clockwork 0 gauge layout in his garden (my memory refuses to tell me where that was, but somewhere in the Eastern Counties I think). Some of the very good locos he built a century or more ago survive, and they are quite big, 8mm/ft scale I think, in order to fit large springs. If I can find it again, I will post a link to a film of him "in action", playing trains in dog-collar and knee breeches.

 

Nowadays, one of the prime collectors and restorers of 1930s, 40s, and early 50s models made by Leeds Model Company (the prime finescale modelling supplier of the day, and the first British company to make moulded-plastic model trains) is Rev Dawes. He and another man of the cloth organise an excellent MR exhibition in Trinity Church at Biggleswade every second year.