Henry Howard is the unmistakable chairman of Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway Trust and is a very familiar figure at the railway.  In our interview, he says his greatest achievement was to see creation of the Trust, out of the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway Limited - the supporting organisation of the owning company, Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway Plc. He was bitten by the railway bug by the LMS as a youngster and not unnaturally is a great admirer of its locomotives - particularly the 'Black Fives' - but took an interest in the GWR when Flying Scotsman visited the railway back in October 1993 and the rest, he says, is history. Like many people he would love to see a headline in The Daily Telegraph that railway re-connected to the main line at Honeybourne.  And he reveals a little-know aspect of his distant past.

My railway business card, says:

Henry Howard, Chairman, Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway Trust  

I first got interested in railways because:

As a child I lived by the 'Bedpan Line' (known today as the Midland Mainline) in North London.   The rest as they say is history, I got bitten by the bug.

A typical run-down of what I do for the railway is:

Help to run the Trust to ensure a constant supply of funds for the railway to help with projects and improve and expand on what we already have. Act as a host to visiting coach parties. I am a member of the Plc Board and act as a conduit from the members (volunteers and arm-chair) to the Plc.   In the future the Trust will be doing all it can to promote the railway as a "LIVING MUSEUM" for the benefit of the public and ourselves.

I was prompted to get involved with the "Friendly Line in the Cotswolds"by what or who - and when:  

As I came towards the end of my working life, Flying Scotsman visited the GWR and I came along to see it.   This was my first visit to our line.   I liked what I saw and decided that it was the right time to become involved and follow my dream.   Incidentally, I hate the title "Honeybourne Line".   Apart from enthusiasts, no one knows where Honeybourne is, "The Friendly Line in the Cotswolds" says what we are and where we are, it sends the right message.

The thing I like most about our railway is:

It is without doubt "The Friendly Line in the Cotswolds"

And the thing I like least: 

We are very poor at internal communication.

I think the greatest achievement of our railway is:  

Not is, 'will be':   operating from Broadway to Cheltenham

My 'real job' is: 

Retired, well I would be if it was not for the GWR, and the constant needs of my off-spring despite the fact that they are all 30 plus!

I always read (newspapers and/or magazines): 

The Daily Telegraph

The headline I would most like to see in the newspapers about our railway is:  

'The GWR opens its main-line connection at Honeybourne.'

My favourite railway company / operator is:  

"Let's Make Smoke".  

…because:

They had the finest and most efficient locos for the terrain over which they had to work.

My favourite locomotive class is:  

The Stanier Black 5.

…because:  

It was the master of all it did, something that I would aspire to be!

If I was lucky enough, I would invest a£1 million windfall on:

I would replace my wife's old banger (not me, her car) with a new one, and the remainder would go to my children.   They need it now, not via Inheritance when I pop my clogs 30 years from now.

If I wasn't involved with the Honeybourne Line I would probably:

Die from boredom!

In other spare time I also enjoy:

Gardening, reading historical novels, and my grand-children.

My greatest achievement is:

Turning GWR Ltd into a Trust.

My biggest regret is:

Never visiting St Petersburg. But there is time yet.

This is what my family thinks about my involvement with the Railway:

'Er indoors is very supportive and the grand-children love the train rides.

In 10 years time I think the railway:

Will be better than ever.   And looking forward to having a mainline connection.

No-one on the railwayknows this about me, but:

I believe in re-incarnation.  I was in the past a Merkit named Jamukha   ( Google it) and I have the scars, different sized legs and twisted spine to prove it.