David Edwards
David Edwards 1951-2025
David came to the FR in the late 1960s from Dublin where he was born. Allan Garraway employed him to run the catering operation which was then primarily the buffet cars.[1] FRM No. 47 tells us that Dave Edwards who had had catering training in Dublin joined the FR as Chief Steward in Autumn 1969. He joined the PW gang when he had no catering to look after.[2] By Spring 1970 David and Major Michael Illot were between them managing the shop and sales department to replace a recently departed Sales Manager.[3] In 1970 he wrote to the FR Magazine referring to the editorial in a previous number to observe that "I have to my certain knowledge counted more dandelions between Minffordd and Ty Fry Curve than any Irishman ever encountered between Ballybunion and Listowel, or X junction and Y terminus."[4] This was in response to a mention of "junction Z where the train comes in Irish style, through dandelions," in the earlier editorial.[5] He left the FR in July 1971 to take a position at the Royal Sportsman Hotel.[6]
His party piece while stewarding on the FR was to go through to the hearse van on display in the museum and open the doors. Just as visitors were getting nervous he would emerge with a tray of cold drinks which had been stored in the cool dark space.
David was involved in the earliest days of opening Llechwedd quarry as a tourist destination. He then ran a gift shop in Blaenau Ffestiniog, where Bridge Cafe now is.
He moved to London working in hospitality and then on to Bath where he established that city's first specialist property letting and management company. During his time in Bath he reconnected with the FR through the FRS Bristol Area Group among other things being involved in fund raising for the Rhiw Goch refurbishment project. He helped smooth the way with his old friend Gregg Ryan of CIE when the latter was arranging for token instruments to be moved from Ireland to the F&WHR. In the Bristol area he was involved with the instigation of the Somerset and Dorset Railway at Midsomer Norton and helped at the East Somerset Railway. He was also involved in the founding of Radstock Museum.
He moved to Cornwall to run Poldark Tin Mine. It did not reopen after covid.
In 2013 David Edward and David Witcomb put their names to a notice in Ffestiniog Railway Magazine advertising for sale by FRS Bristol Area Group of the last two limited edition of fifty Bristol Blue Glass paperweights marking the 50th anniversary of the reopening of the FR. Each one came with a numbered certificate signed by Alan Pegler.[7] The proceeds were to go to the Porthmadog resignalling fund. In magazine No. 222 it was reported that the proceeds were close to £200 and this rounded off a fund raising initiative from which the first funds in 2005 were devoted to Rhiw Goch refurbishment.[8]
David was born to a Brethren family and he had a strong faith. In Cornwall he attended an independent Methodist Church near Poldark.
References
[edit]- ^ "David Edwards 1951-2025", Ffestiniog Railway Magazine, Issue 271, page(s): 520-521
- ^ "Staff News", Ffestiniog Railway Magazine, Issue 47, page(s): 9
- ^ "Staff News", Ffestiniog Railway Magazine, Issue 49, page(s): 7
- ^ "Correspondence: points in brief from other letters", Ffestiniog Railway Magazine, Issue 51, page(s): 38
- ^ "Editorial", Ffestiniog Railway Magazine, Issue 49, page(s): 1
- ^ "staff News", Ffestiniog Railway Magazine, Issue 54, page(s): 12
- ^ "Limited Edition Paperweights", Ffestiniog Railway Magazine, Issue 220, page(s): 255
- ^ "50th Anniversary Paperweights", Ffestiniog Railway Magazine, Issue 222, page(s): 399