Man honoured for 'dedicated service' to rail travel

An 85-year-old man has been praised for his "dedicated service" to the rail network, even passing on his knowledge to generations of engineers.

Until recently, Horace Prickett from Yarnbrook in Wiltshire held the role of director at the community rail partnership, TransWilts.

Prickett entered the industry aged 15 on an apprenticeship as a locomotive fitter, turner and erector - learning how to build and repair railway engines from scratch.

"I saw the replacement of steam with diesel, as well as the introduction of diesel hydraulics, which at the time were only used in Germany and the UK," he said.

Prickett was stationed in the Westbury depot but also spent a year in Swindon, where he helped to build the last two steam locomotives.

When government cuts to the railways in the early 1960s meant that highly skilled engineers were suddenly faced with unemployment, Prickett set up the heavy engineering department at Trowbridge College.

"We had 12 weeks to get a technical college set up," he continued.

"Teaching was a new field but what we were teaching was what I had trained in, and I was doing what I had enjoyed on the railways.

"Ever since I had my own clockwork railway at the age of 11, I was interested in railways and transport."

Prickett also entered the world of politics, standing as both a parish and town councillor as well as a stint as Mayor of Westbury.

He was appointed as Wiltshire Council's portfolio holder for public transport, working closely alongside TransWilts until being promoted to director in 2017.

Sophie Martin, community partnership manager at TransWilts, described Prickett's legacy as "an amazing achievement across a lifetime".

"His unparalleled knowledge, dedicated service, and unwavering support for community rail and the communities it connects will be sorely missed," she said.

"Horace was instrumental in spearheading a number of community initiatives over the years in previous roles, and many we still continue today, including our days out to the beach where we take members of our community who may otherwise find it difficult to enjoy such a day out.

"Not only do these activities help people explore their own area by train, they're also helping to instil a lasting love of the railways in the next generation."

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