Meet Leighton Buzzard Railway’s youngest guard, who just celebrated his 18th birthday
Leighton Buzzard Railway now has its youngest ever full guard - after Jack Palmer passed his guard assessment at the age of 18.
Jack, who turned 18 in May, is now one of the youngest qualified heritage guards in the country after passing the exam.
Jack’s family have been part of the narrow gauge heritage railway for many years, with his parents and grandparents both involved, including in the running of the craft shop at the Stonehenge Works terminus.
Jack has been visiting the railway since the age of two, and began his assistant guard training as soon as he turned 16.
Known as England’s Friendly Little Line, the railway attraction runs trains along its three-mile line between March and October.
The railway is based at Pages Park in Leighton Buzzard, with the line running to Stonehenge Works and Munday’s Hill, adjacent to the sand quarries which the original industrial railway was built to serve.
It recently founded its junior railway club, a volunteer-led group which aims to encourage the next generation of railway enthusiasts.