Well-known conductor retires having served nearly one million Bridgnorth cliff railway passengers
A well-known Shropshire employee at England's oldest cliff railway has retired after almost two decades of serving nearly one million passengers.
Peter Wishart, from Eardington, stepped down from his role as conductor at Bridgnorth's historic cliff railway just five months short of 20 years' service.
Originally from Yorkshire, the 74-year-old had previously served in the Armed Forces before going on to work for the ambulance service.
For the last 19 years, he has been based at the railway's bottom station in Low Town.
A popular and boisterous figure, he was known at the cliff railway for his direct speaking an efficient manner.
During his time working at the station, Peter would have personally served just short of one million passengers.
Cliff railway chairman, Dr Malvern Tipping, said: "Peter was the first person whom I encountered at the cliff railway when I made my first visit shortly prior to my family’s purchase of the company in 2011. A week later I tried to pass through incognito with my brother and mother, but Peter soon spotted me. He didn’t miss a thing.
"I am very sorry to see Peter leave, but fully understand that at the age of 74, he feels that it is time to retire. Peter was very diligent and efficient as well as outspoken. On the one occasion on which I had to raise a point made by a colleague, Peter just took it on the chin and with good grace just as one would expect from an old soldier. He retires with the very best wishes of my family, all at the cliff railway and me. I am sure that that is a sentiment shared by many passengers."
At a recent staff social at the Old Castle Inn, Peter was presented by Mr Tipping with a copy of the reprint of the cliff railway’s original 1892 guidebook, signed by the directors and all the staff, together with two other railway books.
