"Joan's husband Peter was responsible for the purchase of 5322 from Dai Woodham's scrap yard at Barry, and in so doing opened the floodgates to the purchase of all of the other locomotives from there.  

To explain that last point a little further - all purchasers for scrap of locos from British Rail were bound by restrictions that precluded their resale. Dad's (by then) extensive network of contacts within the higher echelons of BR enabled him to secure the removal of this proviso for 5322; and then for all of the locos that followed, and also the sales 'premium' that was subsequently suggested by BR.  5322 was purchased privately on behalf of Professor John Mynors, who at the time was living in Rhodesia.  John had a holiday home on the coast overlooking the mid Wales line, and having already purchased Cookham Manor was naturally inclined towards the idea of the mogul as well.  Interestingly 5322's wartime service was already known and appreciated, and it was one of the deciding factors in its selection in place of the 73xx also in Woodham's yard. 

Dad joined the GWS in 1961, and being slightly older quickly became a steadying hand to the four schoolboys who had formed it.  He was its Chairman between 1963 and '64, when he moved to the West Country.  He was also Chairman and Managing Director of Great Western Preservations (the stock holding company at Didcot) from its inception in 1969 until 2004, and was instrumental during that time for the development of the Society and Didcot's stock collection as they exist today.

He selected, negotiated, and purchased (on behalf of the GWS, other individuals, and with his own funds) a considerable amount of stock - 1363, 1466, 3650, 5051, 5322, 6998 and 7808 are the locos that immediately come to mind.  There were also a huge number of carriages and wagons (including railcar no. 22 and autotrailer no. 92, currently at Llangollen).  He was one week late in putting in an offer to Dai Woodham for 6024 King Edward I, and always considered it the 'one that got away'.  He recognised at a very early stage, quite crucially I think, the need to secure spare parts, and befriended a number of shed masters on the Western Region.  His uncle, who was an immensely strong builder, assisted him in emptying various stores depots of an enormous quantity of such things as superheaters, injectors, lubricators, cab fittings, brake blocks etc, to the benefit in equal part of the GWS, DVR, and SVR.    

From a local perspective he did become the GWS's representative in the South West, and was the liaison with the DVR at Buckfastleigh during the time that it was the GWS intention to establish their museum there. He became great buddies with Bob Saunders, and the two of them were effectively the founders of the then Dart Valley Railway Association (which eventually became the SDRA). He was also one of the four signatories to the fund raising for 1369.  Ironically, he took delivery of the loco from BR on behalf of the GWS, but never got around to formally transferring its ownership and hence leaving open the option for it to remain in the West Country when the rest of the GWS stock at Totnes moved to Didcot in 1967.

During the eighties and nineties the activities continued, with the recovery and subsequent conservation of the atmospheric pipes now on display at Didcot, various carriage bodies around the west country (including the infamous slip coach), and in a different vein the fund raising and restoration of the woodlands around Brunel's retirement home at Watcombe in Torquay