21/08/2022
As you may be aware, Mike Newbold who set up this LCLR page died in June. His funeral was last week and the Railway would like to post this obituary to Mike in thanks for his support for the Railway.
Mike Newbold
Mike was a native of London for most of his life. Born in Fulham, after schooling he aspired to join the police force. This was never to happen, and he ended up as an office boy in a supplier of upholstery to the transport trades. He worked his way up through various roles to become Sales Manager. Although in a senior position in the Company he was always very ‘Hands on’.
He married and had children with his first wife, Sally. They were to go their separate ways, and Mike then marred Jackie, or Jack as she prefers to be called, a colleague at his workplace.
Mike was always keen to volunteer. He started with the St Johns Ambulance Brigade at the age of ten. Many other activities were to follow, including being a Free Mason.
After being made redundant he was to find a new interest in the preservation and use for filming of all things related to ambulances. He was a founder of the British Ambulance Preservation Society. When working with film crews he always like to depict the most accurate scenes, replicating vehicles, uniforms and all things ‘ambulance related’.
After retiring in 2003 they moved to Wainfleet. Mike was involved in the local ‘Coastwatch’ organisation, and in 2010 he started to volunteer at the railway. Mike was patriotic and fully appreciated the historic World War One wagons and coaches that we have on site which probably attracted him to the Railway, but he also enjoyed the operation of this narrow gauge tourist line which was something he shared with his posts on our page.
Mike could be single minded and determined. We will remember him for his important contributions to the railway.
During the ‘Peoples Millions’ campaign we needed to get the general public to vote for the railway. Mike used all his contacts in the area to get local support, but he also used the railways ‘Facebook’ page to create interest. So much interest that Facebook determined the railway should pay a commercial rate for its use. Mike had to re register the site as a Community Page, and persuade 2000 followers to move. We won the contest, and a lot of work for Mike.
During the winter of 2016 Mike pushed on with preparing Ashover 2 for its new paint scheme, often working alone he doggedly went on week in, week out, to get the job done. The reward was a proper repaint in the attractive original paint scheme.
He has been a keen supporter and volunteer at the Railway since the start of passenger services in 2009 at the Skegness Water Leisure Park and was able to be part of the return of our steam loco Jurassic to steam and the visit of Princess Anne in April 2017.
In later years he was not able to do much physical work at the railway, but he continued to support the railway using the page, taking and posting pictures, creating interest and doing valuable maintenance, re posting to keep the interest alive.
Mike passed on the 20th of July in the Pilgim Hospital in Boston, following a slow decline in his health over the last few years but he was visiting the Railway and posting photograph on this site as recently as June this year.
He leaves his wife Jack, and a large family now extending to three generations
