One of the Llangollen and Corwen Railway’s most respected and long-serving volunteers has retired after decades of service to the railway.

After the excitement of the pre-Christmas Santa Specials, and the post-Christmas Mince Pie Specials, it was an emotional and historic day as Malcolm Lees drove his last services, with volunteers, colleagues and supporters gathering to thank for his dedication, As a token of its appreciation, the railway presented Malcolm with a painting of the railway he has been part of for many years.

Malcolm was the last volunteer to have worked on the footplate during the mainline steam age. In British Rail days, he worked trains from Shrewsbury and Bescot before continuing as a driver from Llangollen shed in the preservation era.

There was a party atmosphere for the last day of the 2025 season, when hundreds of people without a ticket to travel on the trains watched the trains depart and helped to celebrate both Malcolm’s efforts and the end of a memorable year for the railway.

Malcolm Lees commented that it had been a huge privilege to be part of this railway for so many years. The people here are like family, and the railway itself gets under your skin. He was incredibly proud of what they had achieved together and grateful for the friendships, memories and moments along the way.

His boss in BR days added that Malcolm started at Salop as a cleaner around the mid-1960s, before becoming a fireman, but made redundant with the advent of dieselisation.

Malcolm started at Llangollen as a cleaner in the 1990s, and soon promoted to become a fireman, and later a driver, and his progress shows his ability and dedication.

“Malcolm represents the very best of this railway. He has been our last link to the steam era footplate, and I am personally grateful for his help, knowledge and advice. His final day was a fitting celebration, not just of one man’s contribution, but of a railway powered by volunteers who care deeply about what they do. Our Christmas season was completely sold out and delivered by volunteers working at the very top of their game. We will be launching our 2026 season soon, and we do so from a position of strength and optimism. Enjoy your retirement, Mal.”

David Hennigan, Llangollen and Corwen Railway Trust Manager