Ron Plaster – a personal tribute
Ron Plaster, who was one of the original restorers of Crofton, died in December 2024 ending a link with Crofton Pumping Station stretching back 60 years. His funeral was attended by some 200 people and a traction engine.
He will be sorely missed in the world of engineering restoration. He was one of the team that brought Crofton back to life and then went on to greater things. Ron knew, almost instinctively, what to do when ever a problem presented itself. Also, if any specialist help was needed Ron “knew a man”. I think that what we achieved at Crofton set the standard for others to follow.
Ron left Crofton to work on the restoration of Kew Bridge Pumping Station and then taking on outside contracts. Work at the Houses of Parliament, Greenwich Observatory, restoring and moving traction engines, working with the Science Museum, dismantling a beam engine at Goonvean, in Cornwall and countless other jobs.
When Ron “retired” from Kew he interested himself in projects nearer home: The Avon Valley Railway and the Underfall Yard (the workshops for Bristol docks).
At his funeral Ron was described as being a “lovable, sociable, jovial, patient, kind and modest man”. He was all of these, a great tea drinker, a skilled engineer and a wonderful friend.
Ian Broom
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