Think of Edwin (Ted) Joseph Pointon, and if you know anything at all about the leaders in the heritage and tourist railway industry in New Zealand, you will think of a man with a gentle nature, a generous disposition, a 'can do' attitude and an encyclopedic mind about things 'rail', especially steam locomotion. Inspirational and innovative, there were few challenges of a technical nature that Ted could not overcome. Sadly, he passed away on the 5th of January 2004 after a long battle with cancer, thus denying the rail heritage movement access to one of its greatest people assets.
Ted was born in Otahuhu on the 18th of April 1936, the son of George and Hilda Pointon. Born into a railway family his father, grandfather and greatgrandfather were all railwaymen. Whilst being educated at Otahuhu College, Ted was always interested in trains, in particular locomotives, and as early as the age of nine displayed a talent for emulating their engineering and mechanical attributes by building toy locos from scrap.
It seemed only logical that he should join the New Zealand Railways Department Locomotive Branch and Ted signed on as a cleaner at Auckland in 1952. After qualifying as a fireman Ted made his way to the top roster as quickly as he could, and his professionalism on the job was evident to all with whom he had contact. His elevation to the driver's scat followed and Ted began his driving career on the shunts at Otahuhu before graduating to suburban passenger train duties based at Papakura.
Even after his time with NZR was over, Ted's passion for driving steam saw him join the Westfield Freezing Company and drive the works locomotive for many years almost until the plant closed. In the meantime, the Railway Enthusiasts' Society had been granted consent to establish their Glenbrook Vintage Railway and Ted, together with a number of his former NZR work colleagues, began working earnestly toward establishing this now renowned South Auckland attraction.
Naturally, Ted's interests lay mainly in the mechanical domain and he served as the GVR's Chief Mechanical Officer, managing the rebuilds of 4-6-4T, WW 480, the former Taupo Totara Timber Co. 2-4-4-2 Mallet (a rebuild of which Ted was especially proud) and 4-8-2 JA 1250. After many years with the GVR Ted moved on to restore lan Welch's J 1211 in what was the former Auckland Goods Shed. He endeared himself to many new friends during all this work and gained a great deal of respect for which he was widely admired.
Although Ted's stored loco engineering knowledge was legendary, so too was his response of "I've got a book on that somewhere" when he was challenged. Never one to give priority to bureaucracy over getting on with the job, many was the time when someone asked Ted about paperwork for a job he had underway, that he was heard to respond with "tell them we'll draw the blueprints if we have to, when the job is complete!"
Throughout his married life (he met his wife Julie in 1957 and they married at Christmas 1961) and his career as a parent, as well as giving much of his time to rail organizations in the Auckland area and acting as a consultant to many others, Ted also found time to develop his large family property at Whangaparaoa. His conservation interests were furthered as he and his family planted their 5 acres which eventually grew into the beautiful property populated with much bird-life and the children's zoo known today as the home of his beloved Whangaparaoa Narrow Gauge Railway.
It was here on January 9th that almost 80 friends and family gathered in light drizzle to mourn the loss of a true railwayman. Eulogies included those from the Federation of Rail Organisations of New Zealand; Glenbrook Vintage Railway; Rail Heritage Trust; Mainline Steam Trust and New Zealand Railway and Locomotive Society.
Appropriately, as the birds, animals and mourners watched in the tranquillity of the domain he had created, Ted journeyed by last request, six times round his circuitous railway, hauled by Little Toot (see below) manufactured largely by his own skill and driven by his son Scott.
His last drive of 'big' steam was as Loco Engineer on JB 1236, leader of the triple headed 4-8-2 freight service which ran during the GVR's Silver Jubilee celebrations in 2002. Few will forget how wide Ted's smile was as he stepped down from the loco. Ted is survived by his wife Julie, his mother, two brothers, three children and three grandchildren and will be much missed by all who knew him.