Tributes are being paid to the Chairman of the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway Company, Austin Maher, who's died. He'd been seriously ill since May when he suffered a major stroke.
He had worked in the textile industry before becoming the founding - and indeed only - Chairman of the L&HR, leading the fight to reopen the line, and developing the fledgling attraction into one of the major forces in tourism in the South Lakes.
At his funeral service, it was observed in the main address that Austin had a rare quality of being "loved by his workforce". This respect extended to the volunteers who help run the L&HR. He may have been the Chairman but would happily spend time talking to the volunteers, and always made a point of thanking people for their efforts. The sizeable turnout by volunteers at his funeral showed the depth of feeling with which he was held.
Linda Weldon, the Chairman of the LRS, was amongst the mourners, and said that Austin's death was the end of an era for the L&HR and the LRS. "He had the vision to turn the Railway into what it has become today. He wanted it to be a success, and he achieved this. When you think back to how difficult things were at times in the early days, the Railway of today is a real legacy."
Of the man himself, she said she'll always remember Austin for his "real sense of fun" as well as his clear and decisive leadership. He was, she said, a "big man with big heart".
The LRS would like to extend its sympathies to Austin's wife Mary, his son Michael, the L&HR General Manager, and his wife Karen and their three sons, and to Charles Maher, Austin's brother and a fellow Director at the Railway.
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