Bill Phenix

Said the following about Andy Crago:

“Andy Crago has been in the rail industry for the past 40 years. His career started as an Apprentice Electrical Fitter with British Rail, from there he rose steadily to the position he currently holds as the Rail Director at TXM Training Academy.

Over His career Andy has filled a large variety of roles within the Rail Industry including Maintenance, Safety, Training, Compliance and Consultancy. His support, knowledge and direction to the Rail Industry has not been limited to the United Kingdom. He has used and imparted his vast knowledge, skills and experience (both technically and practically) to supported projects in the Far East, Asia, Middle East, Europe and America.

Throughout his career, Andy Crago has been dedicated to safety and after completing his Apprenticeship he took up a role as a trainer for British Rail, where he designed, developed and delivered various Electrical, Mechanical and Health & Safety training packages. Andy loves to pass on his knowledge and experience. As a Safety expert Andy runs courses for the NEBOSH General Certificate, the Construction Certificate and Environmental. He runs the courses, both within and outside the Rail Industry, with his passion and dedication for safety he also is a very dedicated NEBOSH Exam Marker.

During his career, Andy also dedicated a considerable amount of his personal time to advancing his academic success through the Open University, gaining a BSc Honours’ Degree in Electronics; this qualification has enabled him to deliver high level post graduate courses in electronics, electrics, hydraulics and pneumatics to students for the Indian Railways.

Andy’s appetite for knowledge in safety has been truly dedicated; he has even gone as far as furthering his academic achievements by gaining a MSc in Occupational Health, Safety & Environmental Management.

Andy developed the National Lift Planer Sentinel Competence Framework for Network Rail and in 2012 he was instrumental in developing the strategy for Network Rail to control the risk with Plant working with the Adjacent Line Open (ALO). During this process he not only gave presentations, to various groups in the Industry, but was also leading in setting up working groups which offered many ways to significantly reduce the risks when working ALO. Andy was part of the Quantitative Risk Assessment Group to determine the risk when working ALO and was one of 3 consultants who wrote the QRA report to detail the Groups’ findings. Andy is actively involved looking at technical solutions to reduce the risk where Plant is working with ALO.

During Andy’s career, he has been a member of, and given massively constructive contributions, to the Rail Plant Association (RPA), the Track Safety Alliance (TSA), the Mechanical & Electrical Engineering Network Group (M&EE) and a countless variety of Network Rail Steering/Working Groups. His in-depth Knowledge is always highly sought after, by other experts, his peers, his students/trainee’s and those he regularly mentors. He will not turn anyone with a query or request for support and knowledge away, often donating a lot of his own personal time to assisting others.

Based on Andy’s 40 years of commitment, dedication, and his continued quest for the knowledge to ensure a safe working environment for all within the Rail Industry, I believe Andy Crago fully deserves my endorsement as a thoroughly deserving candidate to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award.“