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John Hill

315 bytes added, 12:37, 16 January 2021
John Hill died 14.1.21, SVR obituary to follow for a further update
'''John Hill''' is was a long-serving volunteer on the SVR. He was Chairman of the [[Severn Valley Railway Association]] between 1973 and 1976 and was also a Director of the [[Guarantee Company]] and [[SVR(H)]]. He died on 14 January 2021 following a long period of ill health.
==DrivingVolunteering==John Hill was a BR driver with BR, based at Saltley and Tyseley during his career. With steam ended on the main line, he heard of the newly-formed Severn Valley Railway preservation society and became a member in 1966. He was on the footplate of [[3205]] when it arrived on at Bridgnorth from Stourbridge on 25 March 1967 and was the first person to drive an engine of the SVR in preservation.<ref>[https://www.expressandstar.com/news/2017/03/21/train-driver-marks-50-years-since-bringing-the-first-engine-onto-bridgnorths-severn-valley-railway-/ Express and Star interview, Published: Mar 24, March 2017]</ref> The events around that time were later featured in the 2012 TV mini-series "[[List of film and TV productions filmed on the Severn Valley Railway#TV News and Documentary|The Golden Age of Steam Railways]]", for which John Hill is credited on the Internet Movie Database.<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5442055/ John Hill on IMDb]</ref>
John drove 3205 for the BR ‘Inspection Special’ on 31 March 1968,<ref>[[Bibliography#Books|Magner (1997)]] p. 51.</ref> as well as other ‘specials’ in the 1960s. He also drove 3205 at the head of the first public train on opening day, 23 May 1970.<ref>SVR News 17</ref>
John appeared in [[Carrie's War]], filmed on the footplate of [[5764]] on 5 November 1973 with the late Jim Bodfish.<ref>SVR News 31</ref> He also drove Holmes' train throughout the filming of [[The Seven-Per-Cent Solution]] in 1975,<ref>SVR News 38</ref> appearing in the film's credits in the role of 'Train engineer"'<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075194/fullcredits?ref_=tt_cl_sm#cast Internet Movie Database]</ref>. His invaluable footplate experience was passed on to those volunteers wishing to become firemen/drivers and assisted in establishing [[Bridgnorth MPD]]. John also passed out as a signalman.
==Directorships and other==
By spring 1975 John was a Director of the Guarantee Company and also on the Board of SVR(H) as one of that company’s nominees.<ref>SVR News 36</ref>
In 1977 he took on the volunteer role of Operating Superintendent, and undertook a review and reorganisation of the structure of the Operating Department.<ref>SVR News 45,46</ref> In 1978 he headed a committee to draw up a formal Health and Safety policy.<ref>SVR News 50</ref> In Spring 1979 he announced he would be stepping down as Operating Superintendent but was prevailed upon to continue until summer 1980.<ref>SVR News 51,52, 56</ref> Shortly afterwards he resigned from the company Boards due to pressure of non-SVR matters,<ref>SVR News 59</ref> but as of 2017 was still remained an active volunteeruntil at least 2017.<ref>[https://www.svrlive.com/blapril17 BranchLines, April 2017]</ref>
==See also==
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