News

Allan Garraway, FR General Manager from 1955 – 1983, died in his sleep last night at his home in Newtonmore. He was 88.

Allan played an active role in the foundation of the Ffestiniog Railway Society and took up the post of full-time Manager and Engineer to the Festiniog Railway Company in 1955 being appointed General Manager in 1958. He was the first volunteer and the first General Manager under the new dispensation. On his retirement in 1983, Allan was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.
For many years Alan lived in the flat he adapted from the company offices and board room in the upper floor of Harbour Station. As an active General Manager, ‘AGWG’ took his turn on engine driving duties from the early days of revival until about 1974, with Linda as his favoured loco.

His unmistakable figure, patrician, straight-backed, and often dressed in oilskins, was routinely observed on Linda’s footplate on afternoon trains in this period. This was not only a duty he enjoyed, but it served him well as a frequent tour of inspection of what was happening out on the line. It was said that from his vantage point he enjoyed the bracing air and rain of North Wales, and it was suspected that it was no coincidence that Linda was not fitted with a tender cab similar to that with which Blanche was equipped.

His retirement to Boat of Garten in Strathspey, Scotland, followed a long connection with the Strathspey Railway but was also in an area he had come to know as a schoolboy and on holidays.

Allan Garraway’s funeral will be held at Inverness Crematorium at 2.30 on Thursday 8 January followed by a reception. The crematorium is at Kilvean Road, IV3 8JN on the north side of the A82 a few miles west of the centre of Inverness.
No flowers, donations to the FR Trust.

Information on the reception will be made available shortly.