Bill Broadbent

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William Benedict ("Bill") Broadbent E.R.D. A.M.I.Mech.E was a long-serving Director of SVR(H) and was Chairman between 1976 and 1987.

Bill Broadbent was born in January 1924. He served as an apprentice at Crewe and enjoyed a varied career with the LMSLondon Midland & Scottish Railway, where he recollected that his happiest days were spent as shedmaster at Holyhead tending to Royal Scots used on the Irish Mail services to Euston.[1] He also played a significant part in development of the Ffestiniog Railway, of which he was a Director for many years.[2]

He became a Director of SVRSevern Valley Railway(H) in 1973, shortly after the departure of Sir Gerald Nabarro.[3] He took over as Chairman at the AGM in May 1976 in succession to Viscount Garnock.[4].

The opening of the Railway to Kidderminster in 1984 took place under Bill Broadbent's Chairmanship. He stepped down as Chairman at the AGM on 12 June 1987, being succeeded in that role by John Garth who presented Bill with a specially commissioned painting of Holyhead shed as it was during his time in charge there, with one of his Royal Scots prominent.[5]

Bill remained a Director until the 1992 AGM; the announcement at the meeting of the decision then to appoint him to the position of Vice-President being greeted with acclaim.[6] He remained a Vice-President until his death in June 2005.[2]

See also

References

  1. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 151, Obituary by Michael Draper
  2. 2.0 2.1 SVRSevern Valley Railway News 150
  3. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 27, 28
  4. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 39,40
  5. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 85
  6. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 103

Links