Dave Watkins
What is your volunteer role at the railway?
I am the Chair and the Finance Director. I am involved in overseeing the Heritage Railway and Museum and the Rail Freight Business.
How long have you been volunteering at the railway?
About 30 years
What project are you involved with at the moment?
I am involved in multiple projects including: managing the Strand Road Crossing (used by our freight business and heritage train rides) to finding people to restore our museum artefacts (including our railway lions). I’m managing contractors to support the internal team to deliver against our current Cultural Heritage Funded Project (CHP). The CHP project has given us £207k to spend and there is a lot involved. We have been able to commission a local artist to paint stunning outdoor art murals on our museum building front, undertake a complete renovation of our cafe (so it is suited to the times we now live in), build a new website with modern multi-media images and video, build a platform extension, create new signage and outdoor space and start a community wellness project.
What do you enjoy the most at the railway?
I like seeing my locomotives restored and repaired and bringing joy to volunteers and visitors of all ages.
What was your role with the recent filming with Wash Studio?
I was the ‘go between’ arranging behind the scenes making sure the people we there to operate the train and that the train was prepared and available and ready for steam.
Peter Liddle
My name is Peter Liddle. Like the supermarket but not spelt the same.
How long have you been volunteering at the railway?
I joined RSR around three years ago starting my volunteer time in the workshop.
What is your volunteer role at the railway?
I am a time served Plumber and that means five years back then back in the 70s. Working in the building trade, hospitals and civil engineering contracts. I soon got asked to be on footplate crew as a Cleaner and passed out as Fireman in 18 months.
What project are you involved with at the moment?
I am project managing our new engine turntable.
I am also actively restoring ‘Hornet’ an 80-year-old industrial steam shunting loco, that has not seen steam since 1974.
What do you enjoy the most at the railway?
I get on well with all the volunteers here and happy to help out and tackle any jobs that I can turn my experience too.
I also am a founder member of Chorley model railway society. And have personally built about 12 exhibition class layouts, and display them locally including at RSR.
Steve Cain
Not many people know this, but my name is Steve Cain
How long have you been volunteering at the railway?
I became a member of the railway I n 2010, but only became a volunteer 4 years ago, February 2018.
What is your volunteer role at the railway?
Initially, I started my volunteering days as a bar man on the trains buffet car. Within a few months I started my training as a guard. I passed out as a guard in 2019. In 2019 I was approached and nominated for a place on the board of directors.
What project/s are you involved with at the moment?
At the moment my main project is the platform extension.
This was one of the projects selected for Heritage Funding. I did the initial layout drawings, that went to the railway board for approval. We started the extension in February 2021. At present, all the retaining walls are complete and we are in filling the platform area. I have also been involved in the recent filming by Wash Studios for a new promotional video for the new website.
What do you enjoy most at the railway?
I enjoy work as a guard and working with the front of house team, both of which involve working with the public. Down at the railway, there’s the opportunity to get involved in a wide range of activities. But for me it is the camaraderie and meeting like-minded people.