On Sunday 13th July a vintage train at the Isle of Wight Steam Railway was crewed by three members of one family. Veteran driver, Ken West was on the regulator of 127-year-old 'Terrier' class locomotive No. 8 'Freshwater', whilst behind, his daughter Liz Tagart worked as the train guard to a rake of five Victorian 4-wheel carriages. Making up the family trio was Liz's husband Chris, who as duty fireman worked with father-in-law Ken on the footplate.

This family team have over 100 years experience between them in running trains on the Isle of Wight.

73-year-old Ken West was a regular driver during the 1950's and 1960's when British Rail operated a full service of steam-hauled passenger trains on the Island. He drove one of the last BR operated steam trains from Shanklin to Ryde on 31st December 1966, and three months later on 20th March 1967 drove the first of the 'new' electric trains on the same route.

Since retiring from BR eight years ago, Ken regularly turned out to drive trains on the preserved five mile tourist line. In 2001, Ken drove 'The Royal Train' with HRH The Duke of Edinburgh alongside him on the footplate, on the occasion of Prince Phillip's visit to the IW Steam Railway.

Ken's daughter Liz has been involved in the steam line for some 20 years regularly turning out for train-guard duties, while son-in-law Chris has been a working member of the Isle of Wight Steam Railway since its formative years in the early 1970's.