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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 6, Issue 4 (September 1, 1931.)

[section]

Mr. F. C. Widdop Farewelled.

“The fact that they were running fast passenger trains in the dead of night without accident” said Mr. H. H. Sterling, General Manager of Railways at Mr. Widdop's farewell, “was a tribute to the Maintenance Branch (and its head, Mr. Widdop) which, in regard to the safety of the public, left nothing to chance.”

(Rly. Publicity Photo.) Mr. F. C. Widdop.

(Rly. Publicity Photo.)
Mr. F. C. Widdop.

A long list of big jobs has been in the charge of Mr. F. C. Widdop, Chief Engineer of the New Zealand Railways, who retired on 2nd September, on the completion of forty years service. The Tawa Flat deviation, which he initiated, and all the other railway facilities and expansions that this completed project will mean, is only one of many large undertakings, such as the Railway Workshops, Auckland station, the reconstruction of many bridges, and the acquisition of the land and development of the Eastern Hutt Valley scheme, which have been carried out under his supervision. There was a gathering of the executive heads of all departments in the Railway Board's room to bid him farewell, the General Manager (Mr. H. H. Sterling) presiding.

Mr. Sterling said that after forty years of service Mr. Widdop was leaving with a record to his credit, one that earned their entire admiration. As a railway officer they had learned to appreciate his ability, thoroughness, and team work, without which latter quality many other qualifications were often nullified. When inevitable differences arose, his invariable good temper was such that they were ironed out in a manner that took the sting out of the disagreements. His record with the service dated from boyhood, and he had grown up with it and passed through the various grades to his present position, which must leave him with a fund of experience and knowledge, and with happy memories that would stand to him in the years to come. He had spent thirteen months in the Locomotive Superintendent's office, and then threw his lot in with the civil engineering side.