A LONG-TIME volunteer at Blaenavon Heritage Railway was commemorated with the opening of a new carriage shed on Friday.
The Eric Edwards Carriage Shed was officially opened by Torfaen MS Lynne Neagle, and means the railway can now store carriages and wagons, some of which date back to the early 1900s, securely undercover and away from the elements.
The carriage shed cost more than £100,000 to build, and was made possible thanks to a bequest from Mr Edwards, who died in 2014.
READ MORE:
- A new 1980s themed tea room is opening in Cwmbran this weekend.
- Steel firm set to expand Newport dock site in ten-year partnership.
- In pictures: How former steelworks at centre of 500+ homes plan looks today.
A familiar face to the railway’s visitors, Mr Edwards manned its giftshop week-in week-out for many years.
Jamie Warner, secretary of the Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway Company (1983) Limited, said: “It’s been a real privilege to welcome everybody to our railway for the opening and dedication of The Eric Edwards Carriage Shed.
“For many years we have needed a facility to keep our heritage rolling stock safe from the elements, and thanks to Mr Edwards’s very generous bequest this is now possible, allowing them to be enjoyed and appreciated by generations to come.
“It’s something that all our members can be proud of, and by honouring Eric’s memory, his dedication to the railway and the friendship that he enjoyed with many of our volunteers will continue to live on.”
Planning for the shed began in 2014, and the structure was erected over the winter of 2017-2018.
After two years of work on the interior from the railway’s volunteers, the shed was completed for a 2020 opening, but this was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Local dignitaries and volunteers involved with the shed’s construction were brought down for the dedication ceremony from Furnace Sidings station in the railway’s recently restored 1910 Great Western Railway director’s saloon.
Phil Tiley, from Blaenavon Heritage Railway, shared his memories of Mr Edwards, while the railway’s development lead Steve Vincent paid tribute to those volunteers who have worked tirelessly in all weathers to complete the structure.
Opening the shed, Ms Neagle said: “It’s always a pleasure to be asked to do anything for the Railway and today is no exception. It’s a real honour to be here.
“I’d just like to thank everybody that’s clearly worked so hard and in challenging circumstances through the pandemic and I know how hard the volunteers work and how committed they are.
“It’s lovely that it is being done to remember Eric Edwards to recognise the work of one of your fantastic volunteers.”
Deputy Mayor of Blaenavon Cllr Jackie Huybs said: “The Town Council have always given our support to the Heritage Railway, which is one of the premier tourist attractions in Blaenavon.
“We were honoured to be invited to the opening of the Eric Edwards Carriage Shed, which will protect the railway’s precious rolling stock from the worst of our winter weather.
“It is also a fitting tribute to one of the railway’s hard working volunteers, who dedicate so much time to making it such a success.”
Over the weekend, the railway went to welcome more than 450 visitors to its Annual Steam Gala.
Regular steam services will run on Saturdays and Sundays until the end of September, before the planned return of its popular Hallowe'en Ghost Trains and Steam Santa Specials later on in the year.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel