In 1972, the artist David Shepherd purchased Cranmore station and a section of the track to house and run his two locomotives; the BR 2-10-0 Class 9F No. 92203 "Black Prince" and BR Standard 4 4-6-0 No. 75029 'The Green Knight'. In 1973, the line opened offering Brake Van rides before extending first to Merryfield in 1980 and then to Mendip Vale and into Cranmore station itself in 1985. It wasnt long after the East Somerset Railway opened that Pete decided to join the railway and start working his way up the ladder as well as helping out on the site as much as he could. He was passed out as Cleaner on 17 March 1978 and a year later he was passed out as a fireman on 11 March 1979 and contiuned to enjoy his time on the railway, both on the footplate and down at the Strode Arms with the rest of the lads. A few times in the Strode Arms,Pete,Pat and Dean would forget the lads and as a small group,would eat in the restaurant,doing it the 'proper way',with starters,main course and pudding.Followed by coffee,cheese and biscuits and past from the left Vintage Port.It was a sort of 'Finishing School' for them. Pete always liked to do things properly. Pete was promoted to Passed Fireman on 5 October 1986 and continued to enjoy his time on the railway driving a total of 99 times between 1986 and 1990. It was on 1 April 1991 (no it wasnt an April Fools Joke!) that Pete finally worked his way to the top and was passed out as a Driver. He continued to drive and fire (clocking up another 179 driving turns from 1996 - 2001 (as well as many more from 1991-1995 when ESR records are missing)) as well as doing so much more on the railway until 2001 when his time at the East Somerset Railway came to an end. Pete loved being a visitor to railways just as much as he did getting his hands dirty and spent alot of time visiting various railways large and small. Some of these trips included visits abroad including to see the last 'double headers'in Germany with his good friends John and Chris as well as Chris's brother in law. These were the last steam hauled heavy freight trains at Rheine in NW Germany. He also enjoyed two fabulous trips to Wolsztyn in Poland, once with Chris and once with Phil, where for one week, they drove steam locomotives hauling daily trains full of unsuspecting passengers. He decided to become a volunteer at the Swanage Railway in 2004 for several years before deciding that the journey was just too much. He then decided to scale down his trains and forfill his ambition of building his own model railway. He also started travelling around visiting model railways and local railway sites with his good friend Dean. Sadly his illness meant that he didnt get to finish his model railway but he put alot into what he did do, even making a hole in the wall to make a tunnel for the train to run round in a loop from one room to another! Loving electrics as he did, each engine was fitted with a camera so it could be watched on a tv screen and the carraiges had lamps in as well as the station platforms so that the experience could be enjoyed at night.