Bibles given to railway workers in Wales

The Bible society has given Bibles to railway and signal box workers in Wales.

The 12 Bibles were presented to staff at stations in Cardiff, Barry and Radyr by the Rev Ron Keen, Railway Mission Chaplain.

"It’s a terrific thing to do because it means that the Word of God is there where people work," he said.

"I always believe that people will read it, no matter who they are, just out of curiosity."

He added, "I think that there is still an interest there in the Bible."

Bibles have been handed out to workers and passengers of the Taff Vale Railway line for 143 years.

The tradition began after Taff Vale Railway director, T W Hill, died in 1869. Mr Hill, a committed Christian, left a legacy of £100 in his will so that Bibles, New Testaments and copies of the Psalms could be placed in railway stations along the line.

The Taff Vale Railway was originally designed to carry coal from the mines to the docks at Cardiff but after passenger trains were added to the line, Bibles were left in the waiting rooms at the 47 stations along the line.

A 1936 report in the Daily Express says that the Bibles in the waiting rooms were so popular that they had to be chained to the tables to stop people from stealing them.

The newspaper article notes that the Bibles were well read and that travellers often signed their names on them.

The tradition of giving out Bibles along the Welsh railway lines continues to this day.

Current Operations Manager for Wales, Tim Ball, said, "It’s a very stressful job working on the railways. The Bible will give people some spiritual guidance and some hope."

One railway worker to receive a Bible was 38-year-old mobile operations manager Paul Brittain. His job includes dealing with the aftermath of suicides on the lines and in his 10 years in the role, he has experienced seven suicides.

He said, "The Bible will be useful for us all, though we’re not churchgoers.

"When you have fatalities, or when something personal has happened, it will be good to refer to the Bible to satisfy that need."

Executive Director of Charity at Bible Society, Paul Woolley, said, "We’re indebted to T W Hill for his vision in wanting to see people engage with the Scriptures as they waited for trains and worked on the railways.

"The Bible is as relevant today as it was then. We’re delighted to give people the opportunity to read what remains the world's best selling book."