Michael Schumann

From Festipedia, hosted by the FR Heritage Group
Michael Schumann
Official positions held:
FR Co. Director 1992 - 2006
FR Trust 1995 - current
FR People | WHR People
Current staff details policy

Michael Schumann is either a current or recent Director, Staff member or Volunteer on the railways or associated support groups. This entry only appears as a matter of record.

Michael "Mike" Schumann has been involved with the Ffestiniog Railway for over 50 years.[1] His interest in the FR was aroused by an article in Railway World for January 1956, and Easter of that year found him, aged 14, helping to relay track at Portmadoc under the direction of Will Jones. Subsequently he spent a couple of weeks each year on the railway until, at Cambridge, he became involved with the FR-oriented group then meeting in the university. He ran regular New Year working parties which stayed at Cae'r Blaidd (Llan Ffestiniog) Youth Hostel. In this way he met Gerald Fox and became involved with the Deviation.

He was present at the laying of the Deviation stone, celebrating that with digging started at 3pm on Saturday, 2nd January 1965. He was responsible for managing the Deviation project after Gerald Fox left for the U.S. His major monument is and ever shall be New Moelwyn Tunnel.

From the mid-nineties until recently he has been heavily involved in the project to rebuild the Welsh Highland Railway, and he masterminded removal of the old Betws Garmon bridge.

In 2019 he was appointed president of the Festiniog Railway Company on the occasion of the opening of the new Waunfawr station building - a project he had led and funded.[2] The position of president had previously been held by the late Alan Pegler.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Portraits", Ffestiniog Railway Magazine, Issue 060, page(s): 27
  2. ^ Spridgeon, Dale (23 June 2019). "New president announced by Festiniog Railway Company board". North Wales Chronicle.