Mervyn OWEN Obituary

Sabina and Mervyn loved travelling and every few years they'd swing through the UK and visit all their friends and relatives. We would always meet for two or three days and go on outings. Mervyn loved steam trains so every UK visit included at least one steam railway. It could be hard to find a railway he hadn't already seen. We did try to find a new steam railway for Mervyn to visit each time and we would arrange the dates so there was a live steam day on the date we went there. The photos show the most recent visits to Launceston and Bodmin in Cornwall. We also did the railway museum at York, where we rode on a replica of Brunel's first train - I think that was Mervyn's second visit to the museum, but there was a lot there to see. We also rode on a steam train through the hills when we met in south Wales - a narrow gauge railway - I think that was the Brecon Beacons railway, not sure. On that same visit we went down "The Big Pit" - a deep coal mine that is now a museum. Earlier visits included London, Berkshire - where we went to see Highclere Castle - Sabina's grandfather worked on the estate as a carter and helped to build the castle. We also met at Slimbridge Wildfowl Reserve - that was a visit without steam trains.
At the Launceston railway, Mervyn got in conversation with the engine driver and was invited to look at the controls in the cab of the engine - see the photo - and had a ride in the cab.