Rail memorial to campaigner

The name of the late campaigner who battled for decades to restore Shropshire's direct rail link to London is to be remembered - on the side of a train that has realised his dream.

Memorials to David Lloyd, a councillor and a passionate trains expert and enthusiast, were unveiled at Gobowen Railway Station, near Oswestry yesterday.

The most poignant was the nameplate bearing his name, which was fixed to one of the Wrexham & Shropshire Railway locomotives that is now undertaking five daily trips direct to London.

Mr Lloyd's daughter Ceinwen said her father had campaigned for the direct rail link and Gobowen station had been at the heart of all he did.

"Daddy would be truly delighted at the thought of having a train with his name on going to and from London," she said.

Also unveiled was a shelter built in the shape of an 1870 railway carriage.

A scroll bearing just some of Mr Lloyd's achievements will also go on display in the station's booking office.

He was a geography teacher at Moreton Hall Girls' School when he and the pupils prevented the closing of Gobowen's booking office and waiting room by moving the school's business enterprise, Moreton Travel, to the platform.

He later gave up teaching and, with other directors, formed Severn Dee Travel operating from the station.

North Shropshire MP Owen Paterson was just one of several people who paid tribute to Mr Lloyd at the ceremony.

"If it was not for David this station building may not be here today," he said.

"His persistence in fighting for the railway, firstly bringing an hourly service to the line and then pressing for a direct rail link to London was amazing.

"It is tragic that he is not here to see the Wrexham & Shropshire Railway bringing direct rail travel to the county."

Richard Harper, Wrexham & Shropshire Railway's commercial manager, said: "I am delighted that one of our trains will be named after David Lloyd.

"I first met David in the mid 1990s when he was campaigning for rail improvements as there was only one train every two hours through Gobowen.

"He was an enthusiastic supporter of the railway."

Mr Lloyd died in September 2006 at the age of 64 from cancer.

By Sue Austin