COMMUNITY representatives, Dartmoor Railway volunteers and some of the men that worked on the railway during the days of steam will be some of the guests at the official opening of the Arthur Westlake Museum at Okehampton Railway Station this weekend.

The museum is being dedicated to former railwayman Arthur Westlake, who helped ensure that Okehampton kept its railway station and connection to the national rail network.

Arthur Westlake was born in 1918 and began his career with the Southern Railway aged just 15.

He worked his way up to become a driver and used to drive steam locomotives over the North Cornwall line through Okehampton to towns including Bude and Padstow. Later he became an area manager at Okehampton station and worked hard to keep the line to Okehampton open when it was threatened with closure. Arthur died in 2011, but his efforts helped ensure that the line and station are still here today.

Arthur Westlake’s son, Cllr Richard Westlake MBE, will be attending the ceremony on Saturday. Richard followed his father onto the railways and became a train driver himself, eventually driving high speed trains on the line between London and the southwest. Other former staff who worked on the line will also be participating in the event.

Dartmoor Railway Supporters’ Association volunteers help to maintain the beautifully restored station at Okehampton and have refurbished the museum with the assistance of various local organisations. In addition, the event will celebrate the restoration of Laboratory 11, a unique railway carriage formerly used for technical research, which has completed a three year restoration by volunteers to carry passengers over the Dartmoor Railway.

The opening ceremony will take place on Saturday from 10.30am on platform 2 at Okehampton Railway Station and will be followed by a heritage train ride.