Bill has been a member of the Supporters’ Association since 1968.  Residing in Huyton, Liverpool at the time, he helped to form the Merseyside Area Group of the Association, making regular long day trips to the Island in order to attend early Annual General Meetings of the then unincorporated association of enthusiasts, the group becoming a limited company in 1976.

One of his initial roles in the Association was as joint Sales Officer. He and his volunteer colleague Mike Lister drew together all of the various area groups’ sales operations and ran a mail order operation for a number of years, so successfully that the Association was invited by the Railway Company to run a souvenir shop in Douglas Station in the booking hall.

This started up initially for the 1977 season, which then continued into the first year of nationalisation in 1978. The venture lasted only for those two years, but it had significant financial benefit for the Supporters’ Association project funds, initially for the aborted restoration of No.9 Douglas, and later new tubes for No.11 Maitland among other small projects.

Bill has had a lifetime passion for railways, with the Isle of Man Railway being at the top of his interest list, so he moved to the Island in the early 1980s to continue his support activities with the Supporters’ Association as well as play a key role in the restoration of the Groudle Glen Railway, both of which he maintains to this day.

A decision by the Isle of Man Government to cease volunteer work roles on the steam railway by 1982 led to the Association turning its attention to the long derelict Groudle Glen Railway. Bill played an active part in its restoration, management, operation and development over the ensuing twenty plus years and he is still a director of the new Groudle Glen Railway Co., Ltd.,

This was formed in 2012 to give the railway independence allowing the Association to move focus, but his still assists with driving its trains and other activities.  As chair of the Association’s board of directors, Bill aims to represent as many members’ views as is possible at management meetings in order to help set the direction of the Association and achieve realistic outcomes.

He is also a keen photographer and videographer and can often be found at the lineside - sometimes at the drop of a hat! - if ever a there is a special train movement, often suffering for his art!  Away from the railway Bill is a keen traveller (usually visiting other railways!) and is a retired wholesale catering supplier as part of his family-run business for many years, latterly on-island.

As long-standing chairman, he attends the board meeting supported by his team and regularly attends meetings with the railway management to ensure the focus of the Supporters’ Association remains in tune with the objectives of the railway whenever possible.  He is very much a hands-on volunteer, parttaking in many hours of labour on each of our projects.