Dr Jonathan Edwards (1974)

Provided by The Severn Valley Quarterly Magazine & working members Newsletter

Jonathan's interest in the SVR started when he took the boys to Arley for a day out. This lead eventually to Jonathan attending the signalling school on the Railway and he passed out as a signalman in April 1994. This was followed by him passing out at his first box (Highley) in May 1995.

He subsequently passed other boxes on the single line at the rate of about one a year and in 1997 - in a discussion with Chris Bull (the then Signalling Inspector) - it was agreed that Jonathan would learn the Absolute Block and Acceptance Lever Regulations for the larger boxes on the line. He subsequently also passed the larger three boxes at the rate of one per year. About the same time, just in case he did not have enough to do, Jonathan got involved in the Exeter West project and subsequently passed out as a signalman there also.

By 2001, Jonathan had passed all boxes and when the signalling inspectorate decided that it needed more inspectors in November 2002 he was successful in his application - along with Dave Clark. By this time further members of the Edwards family were also joining the Signalling Department (Robert in 2002 and Tim in 2004) - each passing their first box shortly after their eighteenth birthday. Both Rob and Tim came up through the Apprentices Section, which Brenda has been involved in from 1998.

Jonathan was always known for his good humour, which even lasted through the day when a training session at Bridgenorth box was turned into an impromptu exam by the sneaky inspector, his work as a lay preacher obviously helping him deal with this. Unfortunately, Jonathan fell ill in 2006 and for the last year was battling Myelodysplasia that required a bone marrow transplant and extensive medical treatment. He finally succumbed on September 13th 2007, a few days after his 30th wedding anniversary, quietly and with dignity - the same way that he conducted himself on the Railway.

Jonathan was a family man and we are happy that Brenda, Rob and Tim will continue as volunteers on the Railway and we offer them our condolences.

Jonathan will be sadly missed and hard to replace.