A VALE of Rheidol Railway worker has been hailed after he completed 25 years with the railway.

John Baber, a permanent way supervisor, joined the Vale of Rheidol Railway in 1990, shortly after it became independent from British Rail, after he had previously worked on the mainline railway.

He has helped maintain the 12-mile stretch of railway between Aberystwyth and Devil’s Bridge, leading a team which maintains the railway line, as well as culverts, fences and bridges to ensure the railway service can continue.

Llyr ap Iolo, the Vale of Rheidol Railway manager, paid tribute to John, who was presented with a commemorative medal, for his work over a quarter of a century.

He said: “John is one of the railway’s unsung heroes and has made a tremendous contribution to the railway over the years, much of it goes unnoticed by the general public who travel on the trains."

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