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Wow its been a while since I uploaded! Here is a late one: last Saturday, March 18, 2012, was the passing date of railway preservationist, entrepreneur, and actor, Alan Pegler.

Pegler was born in April of 1920 in Retford, England. He was educated at Hydneye House School in Sussex, and Radley College near Oxford.

Pegler was known for his work on the Ffestiniog Railway in the 1950s and 1960s. He helped re-open the line in 1954 and became their Chairman. In 1982, the full route was re-opened and many were inspired by Pegler's work in preservation. He worked with the Ffestiniog until his death in 2012.

Pegler is perhaps most famous as a railway preservationist and his saving of LNER A3 No. 4472 Flying Scotsman from the scrapper's torch. Pegler first saw Scotsman in 1924 at the British Empire Exhibition in Wembley. In 1962, British Railways announced it would scrap No. 4472. An organization called "Save our Scotsman" was formed to save the engine but failed to reach its 3000 pound goal to save Scotsman. Pegler stepped in and bought the engine, with the help from politician Harold Wilson. Scotsman was restored at Doncaster and eventually ran on the mainline, running rail tours.

In 1969, Wilson, after becoming Prime Minister, worked with Pegler to send Scotsman abroad to the USA and Canada to promote British exports. Scotsman was customized to work on US track, with the addition of a bell, cowcatcher, American whistle, and buckeye couplings. From 1969 to 1971, Scotsman ran from Boston to Los Angeles to Toronto and many places in between (but not without it's fair share of problems!) Pegler sold Scotsman to Bill McAlpine after its return to the UK as Pegler was deep in debt. Without Pegler's persistence in saving the Scotsman, the world would be without this famous engine.

Let us remember the railwayman, Alan Pegler.

Cheers,
Jonathan

Description
Wow its been a while since I uploaded! Here is a late one: last Saturday, March 18, 2012, was the passing date of railway preservationist, entrepreneur, and actor, Alan Pegler.

Pegler was born in April of 1920 in Retford, England. He was educated at Hydneye House School in Sussex, and Radley College near Oxford.

Pegler was known for his work on the Ffestiniog Railway in the 1950s and 1960s. He helped re-open the line in 1954 and became their Chairman. In 1982, the full route was re-opened and many were inspired by Pegler's work in preservation. He worked with the Ffestiniog until his death in 2012.

Pegler is perhaps most famous as a railway preservationist and his saving of LNER A3 No. 4472 Flying Scotsman from the scrapper's torch. Pegler first saw Scotsman in 1924 at the British Empire Exhibition in Wembley. In 1962, British Railways announced it would scrap No. 4472. An organization called "Save our Scotsman" was formed to save the engine but failed to reach its 3000 pound goal to save Scotsman. Pegler stepped in and bought the engine, with the help from politician Harold Wilson. Scotsman was restored at Doncaster and eventually ran on the mainline, running rail tours.

In 1969, Wilson, after becoming Prime Minister, worked with Pegler to send Scotsman abroad to the USA and Canada to promote British exports. Scotsman was customized to work on US track, with the addition of a bell, cowcatcher, American whistle, and buckeye couplings. From 1969 to 1971, Scotsman ran from Boston to Los Angeles to Toronto and many places in between (but not without it's fair share of problems!) Pegler sold Scotsman to Bill McAlpine after its return to the UK as Pegler was deep in debt. Without Pegler's persistence in saving the Scotsman, the world would be without this famous engine.

Let us remember the railwayman, Alan Pegler.

Cheers,
Jonathan