DUNSTER station will have a 'gap' when it opens for the 2010 West Somerset Railway season tomorrow (Saturday) - 80-year-old twins Chris and Colin Dowrick will be missing.

The brothers, who turned 80 in September, have retired after more than 20 years as stationmaster and assistant stationmaster respectively.

They stepped down after the Christmas and New Year workings having become almost part of the fixtures and fittings - and certainly the welcoming friendly faces - of the Grade II listed station that first opened in 1874.

In addition to their duties to meet and greet each arriving passenger and ensuring that each train departed safely and on time, both have made substantial contributions to upkeep and general well being of the place.

Colin (on the left in our picture) and Chris were born in Bristol and grew up in Torquay but then went their separate professional ways. Chris followed in his grandfather and father's footsteps and became a bank manager, while Colin became a chemist and ended his career as head of science at Dover College.

However, the West Somerset Railway that brought them back to their West Country roots.

Chris, the older brother by 20 minutes, first joined the railway when he became a director of WSR in 1976 - the year that the line first reopened.

"When we came up to retire, my wife and I decided that our interest was in the railway and we chose to move from Redruth to Minehead and we have been her ever since," Chris said.

"Once we had moved to Minehead, my brother Colin and his wife joined us in the area and we have ended up working together at Dunster for the last 20 years or more."

Chris was treasurer of the WSR for 17 years and, although he has retired as Dunster stationmaster, he is still a director of the company as well as being the chairman and treasurer of the West Somerset Steam Trust which is the charitable arm of the railway.

"To see the railway having progressed from being a virtually bankrupt company to a very viable one is my greatest memory from my years," he added.

Colin also has many fond memories of his years involved with the WSR.

"There have been some well known people who I have met during my years at Dunster and the one who stands out is the late Jill Dando, who was one of the most charming of people you could ever want to meet."

Colin was also very involved with printing millions of card railway tickets during his time at Dunster - a duty his brother is still carrying out: "Before I came to Minehead, the WSR bought an Edmondson ticket press from British Railways in 1987 and installed it at Dunster Station," said Colin.

"Over a period of 14 or 15 years, I was involved with printing about two million per annum, which produced a good revenue for the railway."

Colin said that what he would miss most about working at Dunster station would be meeting the people all of the time: "Dunster wasn't the busiest station, but you nearly always had people for every train and you could often sit on the platform and pass the time of day, which I thoroughly enjoyed."

He added: "We both were involved with doing the garden at Dunster and took great pleasure from keeping it looking so smart and tidy."

WSR chairman Mark Smith said of the twins: "Both have been responsible for managing the WSR welcome at Dunster Station for many years and whilst their retirement is well earned and richly deserved, they will be much missed by everybody."

Photo: Steve Guscott