We welcomed Bob Smith, an experienced pattern maker, to our Boston Lodge Works as a volunteer in his early 70s after a career in engineering in Leicester at Rover Cars.
Bob had made the move to Penrhydeudraeth, North Wales with his wife Lesley to retire but word of his skill set soon reached the nearby FfWHR.
“Heavy work was becoming of a bit of challenge,” said Bob, now 81 and still an active member of the Railway community, “…so at 76 I was paired up with Adam, a lad of 23.”
Adam Livingstone had just completed an apprenticeship in woodwork and was employed at Boston Lodge in the Carriage Works, when Bob arrived.
Bob said, “Now I could see Adam didn’t suffer fools! But when we began working together, he could see I knew my stuff and we got on like a house on fire.
“We didn’t have a cross word in our years working together and I was able to pass on my skills too. Pattern making involves wood turning and sand casting to make a pattern to go to the foundry to turn out engineering parts.
“There was a lot for Adam to get his head around, like making patterns in contraction and taper, getting the angles right!”
Adam Livingston now runs his own business, Livingston Joinery, and is a contractor for FfWHR.
27-year-old Adam said: “I had completed my apprenticeship and then went on to learn pattern making from Bob, those skills have transferred into skills I now use in my business.”
“We already had the basics of hand tooling from the FfWHR apprenticeship and the concept of pattern making came when Bob joined as a volunteer.
“Having different generations working together is something the FfWHR does well, especially joining at Kids week just like I did.
“I was always surprised by the number of volunteers that come in later in life like Bob, who having retired now want to carry on teaching people and passing on their skills as well as learning themselves.
“I was the last one on my college course. Without the Railway to keep skills alive, trades like bench joinery will be lost with most people now working on site not on traditional bench work.”
Bob said he is happy to retire now and enjoys relaxing in Spooners at the FfWHR Harbour Station. After finishing his apprenticeship at 21 and making patterns until April 2023, he clocked up over 50 years in the trade.
His volunteering is a legacy contribution to the skills at the world leading Boston Lodge Works.
Croesawodd Rheilffyrdd Ffestiniog ac Eryri (RhFfE) Bob Smith, gwneuthurwr patrymau profiadol, i’w Gweithdai Boston Lodge fel gwirfoddolwr yn ei 70au cynnar ar ôl gyrfa mewn peirianneg yn Leicester ar gyfer Rover Cars.
Symudodd Bob i Benrhydeudraeth, Gogledd Cymru gyda’i wraig Lesley i ymddeol ond buan iawn y darganfyddodd RhFfE am ei set o sgiliau.
“Roedd gwaith trwm yn dod yn dipyn o her,” meddai Bob, sydd bellach yn 81 oed ac yn dal i fod yn aelod gweithgar o gymuned y Rheilffordd, “felly yn 76 oed roeddwn mewn pâr gydag Adam, bachgen 23.”
Roedd Adam Livingstone newydd gwblhau prentisiaeth mewn gwaith coed a chafodd ei gyflogi yn Boston Lodge yn y Gweithdai Cerbydau, pan gyrhaeddodd Bob.
Dywedodd Bob, “Nawr roeddwn i’n gallu gweld nad oedd Adam yn dioddef ffyliaid! Ond pan ddechreuon ni weithio gyda’n gilydd, roedd yn gallu gweld fy mod i’n gwybod fy stwff ac fe wnaethon ni ddod ymlaen fel tŷ ar dân a doedd gennym ni ddim air croes i ddweud wrth ein gilydd yn y blynyddoedd ddaru ni weithio gyda’n gilydd.
Roeddwn i’n gallu trosglwyddo fy sgiliau hefyd. Mae gwneud patrwm yn golygu troi pren a chastio tywod i wneud patrwm i fynd i’r ffowndri i droi rhannau peirianyddol allan.
Roedd llawer i Adam gael ei ben o gwmpas, fel gwneud patrymau mewn cyfangiad a tapr, cael yr onglau yn gywir.”
Mae Adam Livingston, sydd bellach yn rhedeg ei fusnes ei hun, Livingston Joinery, yn gontractwr i RhFfE.
Meddai Adam, sydd bellach yn 27 oed: “Roeddwn i wedi cwblhau fy mhrentisiaeth ac yna es ymlaen i ddysgu gwneud patrymau gan Bob, mae’r sgiliau hynny wedi trosglwyddo i sgiliau rydw i’n eu defnyddio yn fy musnes nawr.
Roedd gennym ni eisoes hanfodion offer llaw o brentisiaeth RhFfE a daeth y cysyniad o wneud patrymau pan ymunodd Bob fel gwirfoddolwr.
Mae cael cenedlaethau gwahanol yn gweithio gyda’i gilydd yn rhywbeth mae’r RhFfE yn ei wneud yn dda, yn enwedig ymuno yn Wythnos y Plant fel y gwnes i.
Cefais fy synnu bob amser gan y nifer o wirfoddolwyr sy’n dod i mewn yn ddiweddarach mewn bywyd fel Bob, sydd wedi ymddeol ac sydd bellach eisiau parhau i ddysgu pobl a throsglwyddo eu sgiliau a dysgu eu hunain.”
“Fi oedd yr un olaf ar fy nghwrs coleg heb y Rheilffordd i gadw sgiliau’n fyw, bydd crefftau fel saernïaeth mainc yn cael eu colli gyda’r rhan fwyaf o bobl bellach yn gweithio ar y safle nid ar mainc gwaith traddodiadol.”
Dywedodd Bob ei fod yn hapus i ymddeol nawr ac mae’n mwynhau ymlacio yn Spooners yng Ngorsaf Harbwr RhFfE. Ar ôl gorffen ei brentisiaeth yn 21 oed a gwneud patrymau tan fis Ebrill 2023, treuliodd dros 50 mlynedd yn y grefft ac mae ei wirfoddoli’n gyfraniad etifeddiaeth i’r sgiliau yng Ngweithdai Boston Lodge, sy’n arwain y byd!
