Ryan Costello

Said the following about Alan Newman:

“In 1946, the world was just starting to recover from the recently concluded World War II; Clement Attlee replaced Winston Churchill as the Prime Minister of Great Britain, and Alan Newman was born. Today, in 2023, Alan is still working full time in a 24/7 environment and making a difference to thousands of passengers every day in his position of Duty Control Manager for Chiltern Railways.

He has given his entire working life, from the age of just 15, to this industry in all of its guises and through all of its changes. From shovelling coal on the footplates of British Steam Engines, to driving them at the age of 23. Alan was a traction inspector for many years and has influenced and guided the career of many a train driver across the country. He has signalled trains, managed major London stations and worked in numerous Operational Control Centres. His knowledge and passion for our industry is shown every time he clocks on, and acts as a constant source of guidance and inspiration for the Chiltern control team.

Alan has mentored, trained, coached, and guided such a huge number of individuals through his railway career, to the extent where it is impossible to put a number on how many people he has helped navigate the industry. This continues today at Chiltern Railways. Rail staff across the country will not only have encountered, but fondly remember Alan’s professionalism and dedication to the industry, and he continues to be admired today by his colleagues who feel his contribution to rail over his lifetime should be formally recognised at the RailStaff Awards.“