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85th Birthday of Dr David Rowlands
A special train was run on 4th February for the celebration of the 85th Birthday of Dr David Rowlands, the grandson of Jacob Rowlands who was guard on the TR from 1880 to his death in 1928. Jacob was born in 1858 and originally worked at Bryneglwys Quarry but by the time of his marriage in 1886 was the guard on the TR.
He had:
- one son and three daughters.
- Accompanying Dr David Rowlands (retired consultant anaesthetist) were two other grandsons, Gwyn Chambers (retired Reader in Mathematics) and E.Dilwyn Chambers (retired Civil Servant)
- 2 Great Grandsons, John Rowlands and Huw Chambers
- 3 Great Great Grandsons
- 2 Great Great Granddaughters.
Dr Rowlands gave the 'Right Away' to start the train, emulating his grandfather. It had been hoped the 'right away' would be given by his daughter, Kate Rowlands, over a mobile phone from her Hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan, where she is the Director. Unfortunately modern technology failed although Dr Rowlands was able to speak to his daughter from the train.
It was an interesting occasion and provided a link with the earliest days of the railway.
Jacob Rowlands is the gentleman in the guard's uniform, standing on the edge of the platform in the first photograph of the 'Toy Railway'!
Thank you to David Mitchell for supplying the article and photographs.
