AS you walk around Didcot Railway Centre, you may see some of our many young volunteers.

This is always remarked upon favourably by visitors but little do they know that centre owes its existence to the youth of an earlier generation.

Picture the scene: it is April 1961 and four sixteen-year-old boys are stood on a footbridge at Southall.

They are keen railway enthusiasts and nothing makes them happier than watching trains from their lofty perch.

But not today. They are in funereal mood.

Steam locomotives are being withdrawn from service and British Railways (BR) have announced the list of locomotives that will be officially preserved.

Of the 71 locos to be saved, there are only 10 from the Great Western Railway (GWR) and one of their favourites isn't among them.

The 14XX class were immortalised by the Reverend W. Awdry as "Oliver" in his Thomas stories.

Far from being a toy however, they worked hard for the GWR and BR for over 30 years.

In 1961 however, they were an endangered species.

So the four decided that if nobody else would save a 14XX, they would have to do it themselves.

They wrote an appeal letter to Railway Magazine which was published in August 1961.

Locomotive 1466 had a price tag of £750 (£11,600 today) but they were determined to save their bit of GWR history and having gathered a group of supporters, by April 1964 the engine was saved!

But the money kept coming in...

So they bought a passenger coach.

And the money kept coming in...

So they bought another engine.

And the money kept coming in...

We have 25 steam locomotives in our care now!

So when you visit us, remember how Angus Davis, Graham Perry, Jon Barlow and Mike Peart – at age 16 – started it all.

How wonderful is it that teenagers today can look at the collection and realise that they too have the power to make this kind of change?

Best of all, the spirit of '61 is still evident today with our young volunteers embodying the pioneers of half a century ago.