Arthur "Dave" Daters
| Published: 28th August 2008 22:55 |
On 10th July, Dave Daters passed away in his sleep at home aged 79. Dave and his wife had been residents of Crossway for some forty years, before moving into a retirement home in Bromley in 1998. Right up until his demise, Dave was Chairman of the Orpington District Rail Passengers Association, which has done much to improve the train and bus facilities in Petts Wood. He had held this honorary position with incredible passion since 1975. 
Dave was instrumental in persuading Network Southeast that the successor to the slam door suburban trains should have as many seats as possible, against a background of the standee principle exemplified by the prototype ‘PEP' ("Pack 'em Perpendicular") stock. Thus when the sliding door ‘Networkers' were delivered during the early 1990s, commuters found the number of seats per train was comparable to the 1950s stock they replaced.
Dave's knowledge of planning matters greatly assisted the Petts Wood & District Residents' Association's representations in the development of local bus services. In 1992, Dave steered his committee to donate two bench seats for the benefit of passengers waiting for buses in Station Square and these still carry plaques inscribed with the organisation's current title, the Orpington District Public Transport Users' Association, to which Dave Daters devoted so much energy.
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