Alan Francis Pegler OBE FRSA

The Ffestiniog Railway Society made the following announcement yesterday :

It is with great sadness that we report that Alan Francis Pegler passed away this morning, Sunday 18th March 2012, after a short illness. He was 91.

It was Alan’s intervention that made the restoration of the Ffestiniog Railway a possibility, from which the initial funds needed to transfer ownership of the FR to the current administration were provided. Alan was President of both the Ffestiniog Railway Society and the Festiniog Railway Company.

Alan was awarded an OBE in the New Year Honours List in 2006.


The Society sends sincere condolences to Petrina Derrington and his family.
Funeral arrangements will be circulated when known.

Roger Schofield

Secretary

Ffestiniog Railway Society

18th March 2012

 

Very sad... one of preservation's greats. Such as shame 4472 wasn't back in traffic before we lost him.

Foxy

 

Very sad, a true pioneer and a gentleman. I met him once at a Ffestiniog gala, I helped him with his bags onto the train at Tan-y-Bwlch. Very polite man and a pleasure to meet, even for such a brief moment.

 

I found out late last night that Alan had died, although I knew he was ill, I had hoped he would keep going for a few more months, to see 4472 finished, and his 92nd birthday next month.
A real shock and the loss of a real gentleman, I had the pleasure of meeting and chatting with him a number of times. The first occasion was in the early 1980s, and I have very fond memories of several trips on the FfRly with him on my trains, he would be sitting with a group of friends in the obs.....he was a great storyteller, especially with one of his "special" coffees in hand!

 

What a chap. A real father of the preservation movement without which we'd all be the poorer.

RIP.

 

Even before he bought Flying Scotsman Alan Pegler was already a successfull railtour promoter, including trips like the 'Plant Centenarian' (80mph down Stoke Bank behind the two preserved GNR Atlantics). No obits yet but a flavour of his own reminiscences is here:
Alan Pegler Reminisces

 

Thanks for the link Miff.

 

Very sad news indeed. A man with fantastic ambition and vision, without which the Railway preservation movement would look very different. RIP from the KWVR.

There are some clips of him here http://www.nrm.org.uk/RailwayStories/railwayvoices/alanpegler.aspx

 

The film that made me a railway enthusiast:-

BBC - Archive - Steam Trains - 4472 | Flying Scotsman

R.I.P.

 

Brilliant film and Alan was a brilliant guy. Met him a few times. A perfect gentleman. R.I.P.

I remember the BBC first showed this film on the evening of August 11th 1968,
the day of the famous '15 Guinea Special' 1T57.

Slightly off topic, and I think this question has been asked on here before, but was the narrator on this film Fulton Mackay?
It sounds like him but there's no mention in the credits.

 

Slightly off topic, and I think this question has been asked on here before, but was the narrator on this film Fulton Mackay?
It sounds like him but there's no mention in the credits.[/QUOTE]

Probably too long ago but the voice reminded me of Ian Bannen.

 

Would have been his 92nd birthday on Monday, so we ran President Pegler's Private Party for a small group of friends and family. A proper memorial train will run later in the year.

PPPP - YouTube

 

Perhaps a word with Steve Davies might see the first public run of 4472 dedicated to Alan Pegler with a charity collection for one of Alan's charities; I'm sure many will be happy to support such a cause.

 

Having just come home from a tour of steam lines that included the Snowdonian over the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways, I know more strongly than before what a massive debt of gratitude we all owe to this pioneer of preservation. He was the right man in the right place at the right time; without his spirit and determination we'd have much less to enjoy today.

Dedication to him of 4472's first public run following the present work would be a fitting tribute.

 

Just been going through the Desert Island Discs archive on the BBC website and found Alan Pegler's edition, recorded in 1969. Very interesting listen, and includes a recording of 4472 working hard leaving Durham station. Link below

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/features/desert-island-discs/castaway/2707efc5#p009y1d0

 

At the very least 4472 should have discreet plaque on it, maybe inside the cab ?.

 

Well spotted and thanks for the link. No finer railway sound than a Gresley 3-cylinder with single chimney.