Gareth Jones - Talyllyn Railway BR EWS DB

[Welchester]

I have learnt of the death yesterday of Gareth Jones. Gareth had a very long railway career. His mother, who ran a guest house in Towyn (as it then was) had heard that Mr Rolt was looking for help on the little railway, so Gareth became a fireman on the Talyllyn Railway. He was twelve years old. Later he was immortalised as the young fireman in ‘Railway with a Heart of Gold’.

 

On leaving school in September 1953, Gareth joined the Western Region as a cleaner at Machynlleth. His first job was to clean Dukedog no. 9012. The following February, aged fifteen and a half, he was passed to fire. There followed a long career as fireman, driver and inspector with British Railways, EWS and DB. Gareth finally retired as a senior traction inspector with DB Cargo five years ago at the age of eighty. He had fired an driven the Royal Train on many occasions, and was popular with colleagues and the public.

 

Rolt in ‘Railway Adventure’ describes him as 'a born railwayman’. May he rest in peace.

[45655]

Very sad to hear this.  With the notable exception of John Bate, he must have been just about the last of the TR “originals” left.

 

Keith

at Brynglas station.

[Colin_McLeod]

RIP Gareth

[drjcontroller]

Got to know Gareth during my time with EWS/DB, a real gentleman and a master of his craft. Time spent in his company was never dull, he had an endless supply of great stories.

 

RIP Gareth.

[Covkid]

On 05/09/2023 at 10:26, drjcontroller said:

Got to know Gareth during my time with EWS/DB, a real gentleman and a master of his craft. Time spent in his company was never dull, he had an endless supply of great stories.

 

RIP Gareth.

 

Very much so. 

I had an affinity with Gareth for several reasons.  I went to school in Tywyn 1973-1978 and spent many many lunchtimes in the Wharf station office.  Phil Care took me under his wing and taught me to sell tickets, and General Manager David Woodhouse was supportive.  I was immersed in hotbed of railway learning, then as July 1978 loomed I appleid for a job on BR at Machynlleth. David and Phil were my referees for my job application. 

 

Passed the interview and the medical and started on 24th July 1978 at the second location I shared with Gareth, although I hadn't yet met him. Two of his former colleagues, Arthur and Aneurin who had left Machynlleth for the Midlands, had recently returned from Bescot and brought their Bescot traction knowledge with them - class 40s and class 47s as well as the stock class 25s we had on the goods, the summer weekend "loco hauleds" and the weekend ballasts. 

 

After learning a bit about TOPS I decided that was what I wanted to do so got promotion to Bescot in the summer of 1980, and it didn't take long for me to meet Gareth and talk about Machynlleth - in our Welsh accents !!!! I had a couple of rides with Gareth, one being on the "night Totons".  We were working 8G79 back from Toton to Bescot with the usual pair of class 20s for power, but as we approached Lichfield City the engine shut down on our leading loco.  Totally unfazed Gareth flipped the Control cutout switch and we got stuck into the climb up from Lichfield to Brownhills on the South Staffs. We were progressing slowly but our rear loco just plodded her way up the bank with around 900 tons on the drawhook.  Once over the hill it was plain sailing down through Pelsall, Rushall and Ryecroft. A memorable trip for me, but typical of the work Bescot drivers did at that time. 

 

Later, Gareth because a traction inspector and later still I became a TCS as we faced the new world of privatised railways. Ironically, with the lead up to privatisation, Bescot depot was chosen to learn the Cambrian routes for loco hauled work and infrastructure jobs, which allowed Gareth to reacquaint himself with his old home turf.

 

With the impending contraction of EWS, I chose to leave Bescot in 2001 but Gareth stayed. 

 

A remarkable man - thanks for all the memories Gareth