Clergy and railways.

[ChiefPlanner]

Father Deiniol , I believe a Russion Orthodox from Manod in Blaenau Ffestiniog , was very involved in matters of Welsh Railway development a few years back.

 

[John Webb]

All this chat has reminded me that the pulpit in my old church in SE London was on a railway line! The church, built in 1730-something, had been extended by the Victorians at the east end to form a new choir and altar area plus organ loft and Lady Chapel. (Around the 1890s.)
The pulpit was on a pair of rails (possibly 5ft gauge - I never measured it)

It's seen here in its 'Forward' position and could be rolled back by its own length to give a clear view of the east end.
(Taken in 1967 after the church had undergone a major refurbishment - I was singing in the choir at the time but on the side nearest the photographer so can't be seen!)

 

[30907]

The Community of the Resurrection (an Anglican monastic order based at Mirfield in West Yorkshire), has always numbered train enthusiasts among its past and present members.They even run a Railway Retreat each year (open, of course, to the public). One of the attractions is that the monastery is situated on the hillside overlooking the Huddersfield-Leeds section of the Transpennine main line. The current issue of their quarterly magazine features an oil painting of a 1950s steam express seen from the Community garden, and an article by a friend of the Community who is a former BR driver.

And the LNW/LMS reputedly had a conditional stop at Battyeford on its London train (yes, there was one!) to allow the Superior to travel to London.