London Area Group
The London Area Group was formed in October, 1955 although Mike Elvy had been taking working parties to the railway from the London area before the Group was set up officially. Group members have worked in all departments of the Railway over the years, but working parties concentrated mostly on the permanent way.
From the very beginning, using hired minibuses and members cars, volunteers from the London area made their way across pre-motorway Britain on a Friday night to slave away in Minffordd Yard or out on the track over the weekend before facing the long trek home on Sunday afternoon. These were monthly at first, but later increased to fortnightly.
Back in London, there were (and still are) regular meetings and film shows of general railway interest and sales stands attended model railway shows, traction engine rallies, etc. to raise both funds and the railway's profile. Indeed, they still do.
For the past 20 years, the working party speciality has been Rodney Thorp's Drains Project and this is still an on-going activity. Homeworking has also been part of the LAG's contribution to the railway, starting in the early sixties when Ron Walker and Ron Fisher made some litter bins out of old oil drums in Ron W's South Harrow workshop. A larger and more recent example is the new down platform shelter at Minffordd.
from L-R Paul Harris (GyLlB & HGJ); David & Andrew Walker (supporting future vols!; Richard Pyatt; Martin Collins, John Cope; Martin Cook (hiding Tony Champkins); Fred Howes, a former LAG; Graham Briden; Jim Hewett (FRHG & wiki); Taliesin; Ron Walker, Ralph Cannard and Roy Cunningham
