Bernard Holden: Difference between revisions
Dorkinglad (talk | contribs) |
Dorkinglad (talk | contribs) No edit summary |
||
| Line 13: | Line 13: | ||
}} |
}} |
||
'''Bernard Holden''' [[MBE]] (1908–2012) was a twentieth century railway engineer and manager with Southern and [[British Railways]] and a founding father of standard gauge railway preservation in the United Kingdom. He was President of the [[Bluebell Railway]] in Sussex for over twenty years until his death.<ref>Bluebell News vol:54 No:3, obituary of Bernard J Holden 1908 Autumn 2012</ref> |
'''Bernard Holden''' [[MBE]] (1908–2012) was a twentieth century railway engineer and manager with Southern and [[British Railways]] and a founding father of standard gauge railway preservation in the United Kingdom. He was President of the [[Bluebell Railway]] in Sussex for over twenty years until his death.<ref name="ReferenceA">Bluebell News vol:54 No:3, obituary of Bernard J Holden 1908 Autumn 2012</ref> |
||
==Biography== |
==Biography== |
||
Holden was born in the [[LBSCR]] railway station house at [[Barcombe]] in East Sussex on 15 March 1908 on a section of the Bluebell Line that no longer survives. He came from a family steeped in railway service as both his great grandfather, grandfather and father Charles were railway men. His father was the station master at [[Barcombe railway station|Barcombe]].<ref>Daily Telegraph, Obituary of Bernard Holden, published October 2012</ref>In 1912 his father moved to the busier [[Steyning railway station|Steyning Station]] in [[West Sussex]] and Holden attended [[Steyning Grammar School]] matriculating in 1925 before following in the family tradition and joining the [[Southern Railway (UK)|Southern Railway]] as a ballast train clerk also studying transport law and signalling.<ref |
Holden was born in the [[LBSCR]] railway station house at [[Barcombe]] in East Sussex on 15 March 1908 on a section of the Bluebell Line that no longer survives. He came from a family steeped in railway service as both his great grandfather, grandfather and father Charles were railway men. His father was the station master at [[Barcombe railway station|Barcombe]].<ref name="ReferenceB">Daily Telegraph, Obituary of Bernard Holden, published October 2012</ref>In 1912 his father moved to the busier [[Steyning railway station|Steyning Station]] in [[West Sussex]] and Holden attended [[Steyning Grammar School]] matriculating in 1925 before following in the family tradition and joining the [[Southern Railway (UK)|Southern Railway]] as a ballast train clerk also studying transport law and signalling.<ref name.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> |
||
At the outbreak of the [[Second World War]] Holden relocated to London where his duties included supervising the evacuation of children from London and from his Redhill base, the supervision of trains bring back soldiers from [[Dunkerque]] in 1940; 865 trains passed through in ten days.<ref |
At the outbreak of the [[Second World War]] Holden relocated to London where his duties included supervising the evacuation of children from London and from his Redhill base, the supervision of trains bring back soldiers from [[Dunkerque]] in 1940; 865 trains passed through in ten days]].<ref name="ReferenceB"/> During the [[Blitz]] Holden organised for trains to keep running often in circuitous routes as [[Luftwaffe]] bombing blocked numerous lines. In June 1941 he reported to [[Longmoor Military Railway]] and was posted to 191 Rail Operations Company RE before being posted to South Africa and then to [[Bengal]] were he worked on the logistics of supplying British troops in [[Burma]] who were fighting the Japanese. He was commissioned into the Indian Army and spent much of the war engaged in operating railways in northern India, carrying troops and supplies to the front.<ref name="ReferenceB"/> In July 1945 Holden servred in 8 Indian Engineers Group who were engaged in the invasion of [[Malaya]].He entertained [[Vera Lynn]] before the [[Battle of Kohima]] in March 1944 becoming a life long friend of the singer. He was discharged from the army as a captain after [[VJ Day]]. |
||
Holden resumed his civilian railway career and joined British railways upon [[British Railways|Nationalisation]] in 1948. He retired in 1972 joining the Bluebell Railway |
Holden resumed his civilian railway career and joined British railways upon [[British Railways|Nationalisation]] in 1948. He retired in 1972 joining the Bluebell Railway |
||
Revision as of 19:32, 13 June 2013
Bernard Holden | |
|---|---|
| Born | Bernard John Holden 15 March 1908 Barcombe, East Sussex, England |
| Died | 4 October 2012 (aged 104) Ditchling, East Sussex, England |
| Nationality | British, English |
| Occupation(s) | Railway engineer, soldier |
Bernard Holden MBE (1908–2012) was a twentieth century railway engineer and manager with Southern and British Railways and a founding father of standard gauge railway preservation in the United Kingdom. He was President of the Bluebell Railway in Sussex for over twenty years until his death.[1]
Biography
Holden was born in the LBSCR railway station house at Barcombe in East Sussex on 15 March 1908 on a section of the Bluebell Line that no longer survives. He came from a family steeped in railway service as both his great grandfather, grandfather and father Charles were railway men. His father was the station master at Barcombe.[2]In 1912 his father moved to the busier Steyning Station in West Sussex and Holden attended Steyning Grammar School matriculating in 1925 before following in the family tradition and joining the Southern Railway as a ballast train clerk also studying transport law and signalling.[1]
At the outbreak of the Second World War Holden relocated to London where his duties included supervising the evacuation of children from London and from his Redhill base, the supervision of trains bring back soldiers from Dunkerque in 1940; 865 trains passed through in ten days]].[2] During the Blitz Holden organised for trains to keep running often in circuitous routes as Luftwaffe bombing blocked numerous lines. In June 1941 he reported to Longmoor Military Railway and was posted to 191 Rail Operations Company RE before being posted to South Africa and then to Bengal were he worked on the logistics of supplying British troops in Burma who were fighting the Japanese. He was commissioned into the Indian Army and spent much of the war engaged in operating railways in northern India, carrying troops and supplies to the front.[2] In July 1945 Holden servred in 8 Indian Engineers Group who were engaged in the invasion of Malaya.He entertained Vera Lynn before the Battle of Kohima in March 1944 becoming a life long friend of the singer. He was discharged from the army as a captain after VJ Day.
Holden resumed his civilian railway career and joined British railways upon Nationalisation in 1948. He retired in 1972 joining the Bluebell Railway
Service with Bluebell Railway
In 1958 Holden and four other enthusiasts who included John Leeroy as the first chairman of the Railway and Holden as Signalling Engineer launched the Bluebell Preservation Society, ostensibly to reopen as a heritage railway the recently closed railway-line between East Grinstead and Lewes. Under the guidance of Holden the Bluebell Railway became the first preserved standard gauge steam-operated passenger railway in the world to operate a public service[3] running its first services in August 1960, less than three years after the line from East Grinstead to Lewes had been closed by British Railways.
As an active Superintendent of the Line and later President of the Bluebell Society, Holden over saw the expansion of the line from near East Grinstead to Sheffield Park and in 1992 was appointed MBE for services to railway preservation. He was described as ‘’one of the greatest figures in the rail preservation movement of all time’’[4]As President he witnessed the expansion of the railway to a new terminus at East Grinstead, although he died a few months before official services were re-instated.
Holden died aged 104 at Ditchling, East Sussex on October 4, 2012.
References
- ^ a b Bluebell News vol:54 No:3, obituary of Bernard J Holden 1908 Autumn 2012
- ^ a b c Daily Telegraph, Obituary of Bernard Holden, published October 2012
- ^ Michael Welch (31 May 2010). The Bluebell Railway: Five Decades of Achievement. Capital Transport Publishing. ISBN 1854143360
- ^ Robin Jones, Heritage Railway magazine, Autumn 2012