But now he is to play Perks in a new adaptation of The Railway Children in the theatre's Stage 2 studio.
It all began for Tim when he attended the old Portsmouth Southern Grammar School in the late 1960s.
The prospect of missing a few maths and chemistry lessons led to him becoming an enthusiastic participant in school plays – and as a result, the head of English and drama suggested he should attend a Portsmouth Youth Theatre production.
Tim admits he was impressed – mainly by the fact that the ratio of girls to boys was about five to two.
'I thought I just had to get in on this,' he laughs.
'Portsmouth Youth Theatre was then run by Len Russell and his wife, Jean, who were also leading lights of the Southsea Shakespeare Actors and Portsmouth Festival Theatre.
'They and others had that special kind of passion for the theatre that was so infectious that I fell in love with the whole magical package – even apart from the more worldly attractions!'
Tim then had a long and happy association with the Phoenix Players as an acting member and more recently as a patron.
After service in the RAF, he went straight back to theatre, learning his trade first at Plymouth Theatre Royal as an acting assistant stage manager in rep.
He then moved to London and in 1989 linked up with another man with strong Portsmouth connections – John Dunne.
Tim appeared in other adaptations by John, including Tess Of The D'Urbervilles and Pride And Prejudice – and now comes The Railway Children, adapted from E Nesbit's novel which was famously filmed twice with Jenny Agutter.
The play condenses the themes, situations, characters and conflicts while seeking to retain the magic and charm of the original.
Amid much mystery, a middle-class family must re-adjust to a poor life in the country, with Roberta (the only child on stage in this version) having to fend for herself while her mother sells stories to live.
Mother (Sara Cole) and daughter (Fiona Drummond) relay the tale with Perks and a mysterious 'old gentleman' (Robin Dunn).

>>Kings performances are on Saturday, August 16 (2.30pm and 7.30pm). Tickets: (023) 9282 8282.