Recruitment
“Allan has worked within the signalling grades for 53 years and is currently a shift manager in Manchester Piccadilly signalling centre.
He started in manual signal boxes around Manchester and moved through the grades.
His wealth of knowledge and experience is appreciated by everyone who has anything to do with in the industry in the Manchester area.
Due to his vast knowledge and experience Allan likes to take all new trainees under his wing and will make sure they have as much of his time and support during their training. He must of trained hundreds of signallers during his career.
In his spare time Allan also spent time with the mutual learning rules & regulations classes in order to keep his knowledge up to date. The programme (run voluntary) is open to the industry and is aimed at teaching the principles, rules and instructions of railway operations.
Last year Allan undertook the final exam and scored 98%, a pass with honours and only the third time in 35 years. As a result of this Allan was also awarded the Anderson Urn, which was originally awarded in 1918 but was then lost and turned up in an auction in Cumbria.
Allan's success was covered in a BBC news item last month.
Allan's passion, dedication and devotion to railway operations and the industry is so inspiring and infectious. It would be absolutely brilliant if his achievements could be recognised with this award.“
“Allan has enjoyed a long career on the railway keeping the communities in the North West safe through his various roles as a signaller and now signal section manager. He has always been one to support the development and engagement of others, with one of my own earliest memories on the railway being just a few weeks into the Network Rail graduate scheme and being given a guided tour of the Manchester Piccadilly signalling centre by Allan.
Allan also volunteers his time off the job in helping with Phil Graham's Rules and Regulations class, updating the class papers each year to make sure the content remains current. Additionally, he volunteers on the Lancashire & Yorkshire School of Signalling at the Railway Museum, sharing his knowledge of absolute block signalling with a wide and varied audience.
There is no doubt in my mind that there are even more examples of the good work that Allan does both on and off the job beyond my own experiences with him, but I'm also sure this will not be the only nomination to be able to draw details from!“
“Allan has served the signalling grades for 53 years, from Train Recorder in the Stockport area in 1969 to Signalling Manager at Manchester Piccadilly at the present time. During the intervening years he has served at many of Manchester's signalboxes, past and present, and in various signalling inspectorate and managerial roles. His railway signalling knowledge is second to none and he is renowned for passing his knowledge on to others. He still takes an active role in the country's one remaining voluntary signalling class. Allan is also a Signalling Inspector with the private Llangollen Railway and he is a member of the signalling team at the National Railway Museum.
A Signaller through and through and a life-long Railwayman.“
“It was a fantastic night!!”
Latest Twitter Updates
Follow us @RailStaffAwards