Engineman William Roberts had started on a Corris footplate as a 16-year-old in 1887, when the service was extended to Aberllefenni... [He] had the longest service for a driver on the Corris Railway, which he served almost continuously until his death in 1923.

His work, as such, may not perhaps have been unduly arduous, but the hours were undeniably long. No official time sheets have survived but a normal day commenced with an alarm call before 4am followed by a walk along the line from Corris to Maes-poeth - in all weathers - to raise steam in the engine.

The need to shave at this unearthly hour cannot have seemed an attractive prospect, so the problem was postponed until later in the day. There was, in any case, little point in shaving at around 4am as a second shave would have become necessary by mid-day.

In those days, shaving was always a 'wet' affair, when special shaving-soap, brush and razor were employed - the latter usually of the 'cut-throat' variety, which had to be honed periodically on a leather strap. Hot water, to generate a good lather, was also essential but there was no problem here as one of the little engines easily met that requirement.

Consequently, William Roberts kept some shaving tackle locked in a small shed situated behind Machynlleth station and when opportunity presented itself during slack periods later in the morning, he would retire to the little shed to remove the growth of the previous 24 hours.

Over the ensuing years, of course, the whole process of shaving has been transformed, mainly by electricity, but even the devotees who still have a wet shave have derived enormous benefit from improved shaving-foam and safety razors.

Additionally, the little shed was also useful for the secure storage of some fishing-rods and tackle, associated with one of Driver Roberts' principal delights, his passion for fishing. Full advantage was often taken of any slack periods to visit the river, particularly if conditions were favourable.

At Machynlleth, the engine was used to make the best use of any available time and would be taken as far as the Dyfi bridge, where it was parked on the 'main line'; or, if there was sufficient time to go on to Ffridd Gate, it could be left under the watchful gaze of the crossing-keeper.

The reward for this favour, no doubt, was a trout or sewin in due course. In addition to the rods and tackle kept at Machynlleth, there were similar caches at Maes-poeth and Aberllefenni which also served to brighten the working day.

William Roberts' working day usually finished when the timetable had been completed, normally around 8pm (when he still faced the walk home). This time, however, could often be extended by circumstances, a late service perhaps or, more frequently, by some emergency repairs required on the engine.

Meal times appear not to be officially acknowledged by management, for no list of arrangements has survived, nor indeed, may ever have existed, but the working practice was that each day around noon a specially prepared basket of food - sufficient for the rest of the day - would be taken to the crossroads near Arddol, Driver Roberts' home in Corris, to be handed over like a large and very welcome token.

Extract from Tales of the Old Corris by Gwyn Briwnant Jones, price £9.99, courtesy of publisher Gomer Press.