A WEST Midlands stockbroker has joined the board of the charitable trust for Severn Valley Railway (SVR).

Ron Treverton-Jones is the chairman of Birmingham-based stockbrokers EFG Harris Allday, having joined the company in 1972, after gaining a civil engineering degree and two years banking experience.

Already a member of SVR Charitable Trust’s investment committee, Mr Treverton-Jones is familiar with the trust’s work, and oversees the management of its endowment Future Fund, which will play an increasingly important part in strengthening the future financial stability of the railway.

EFG is a member of the trust’s corporate partnership club and has previously sponsored a charity race day held in Ludlow.

It was this involvement with the SVR that rekindled his interest in railways - he’d previously been involved with train spotting in the 1950s, when steam locomotives were still a common, workaday sight. Now he’s looking forward to even closer ties with the railway.

“With my background in investment, I am of course particularly interested in helping the financial wellbeing of the SVR," Mr Treverton-Jones said.

"I am impressed with the way in which its Heritage Skills Training Academy is training a new generation of apprentices so that essential, traditional skills will be kept alive at the railway.”

The charitable trust’s director of development, Shelagh Paterson, added: “Ron joins as we enter a new chapter in our story.

"Having spent the past four years building up our supporter base, we’re delighted to be in a position to make significant financial contributions to the railway, both now and in the future.

"Ron’s expertise will prove invaluable in help us achieve our charitable aims.”