Those members of FEDECRAIL who knew him will be sad to learn that David Madden died at the end of January 2020. I first met David at the end of 1967 when we were both promoting the restoration of a railway in Norfolk and we became good friends. I became the chairman of the North Norfolk Railway and he was its Managing Director/General Manager. He was extremely knowledgeable of steam railway operation, acquired through experience. Although his first love was the North Norfolk Railway, he appreciated the importance of the heritage railway sector acting in unison and the importance of sharing knowledge. He served as a director of the Heritage Railway Association (HRA).
He later served as Chief Executive of WATTRAIN (the World Alliance of Tourist Trams & Trains) and attended its conferences in Argentina, Australia, UK and Japan. He was one of nature’s gentlemen and never let me down. Towards the end of his life, he suffered various degrees of dementia. Shortly before Christmas, I visited him in the care home where he was staying, having been warned by his wife, Pat, that he might not recognise me. I needn’t have worried; “Hello, David. How’s Heather?” It was just like old times, even if he did think that we were in Sheringham, some 40 miles away. I, and I suspect many others will miss him. (David Morgan, President emeritus)
