L&B's first apprentice

Tom, who turned 19 shortly after his appointment, had already been a regular volunteer on the L&B for a couple of years, working in the engine shed and workshop assisting in the repair and maintenance of our rolling stock, as well as doing turns as a fireman.

His new position as a Mechanical Engineering Apprentice builds on this experience and, in addition to his continuing and now paid employment, Tom will be studying at Bridgwater and Taunton College as a Maintenance and Operations Engineering Technician, which is a Level 3 qualification.

Clearly, having trained staff to maintain our rolling stock is key to enabling the L&B to maintain its operations, and being able to train our own staff in this role increases our degree of self-sufficiency.