Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway

One of the youngest volunteers on the Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway, 20-year-old Matthew Forman-Clark (who lives in Skegness) has just qualified as a driver of diesel locomotives in time for the main summer season. Matthew qualified as a train guard two years ago and is now thought to be the youngest qualified diesel train driver in his home county, Lincolnshire.

His ambition now is to train and qualify as a driver of the LCLR’s iconic steam locomotive, the 1903-vintage Jurassic.

Matthew said: “It’s something I have always wanted to do. The railway’s diesels are between 80 and 104 years old, so it is a real privilege to be able to drive them – especially as the carriages are a hundred or more years old. There’s a real sense of history and heritage on the railway and I enjoy being part of that”.

The railway’s Training Officer and Secretary of its Historic Vehicles Trust, Tim Drury, said: “I had no hesitation in passing out Matthew. He shows a careful, thoughtful approach to the role. Safety and safe operation are the most important aspects of driving our vintage trains and Matthew seems completely at home in the driver’s cab and with everything involved in the operation of the train – braking, coupling up, line speed and load, awareness of what’s going on around him and cheerful contact with the passengers and fellow volunteers.

“We are all looking forward to seeing him progress to driving our steam engine. His attention to detail when cleaning it and preparing for entry into service impresses everyone”.

The railway which was the first heritage line in the world to be built and operated by enthusiasts, when it opened at its original site at Humberston, south of Cleethorpes on 27th August 1960 -  began offering three-day-a-week services (Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays) in August two years ago on its line in the Skegness Water Leisure Park at Ingoldmells.

Matthew began volunteering on his 18th birthday (the youngest age at which volunteers can assist), helping to prepare the 1903-steam engine Jurassic for service and working on renovation and maintenance of the track and carriages and wagons (some of which were used in the battlefields of World War One).

Chairman of the LCLR's Historic Vehicles Trust, (whose members work voluntarily on the LCLR), Richard Shepherd, said: "All of us involved with the railway congratulate Matthew on passing his driver’s exam and have been impressed by his diligent approach to his duties. 

“He is an indispensable part of our small team of volunteers who keep our heritage trains on the rails. We're used to seeing him in a boiler suit with a generous smattering of soot, from cleaning out Jurassic's boiler tubes and smoke box, so when he is not driving diesels or acting as guard, he will be back in the boiler suit training on Jurassic.

“We have succeeded in attracting other younger volunteers and hope more will follow to ensure the railway can continue and so enable the public to enjoy this unique part of Lincolnshire's heritage".