His family have been a part of the railway for 157 years in total
Ken Davies has retired after more than 50 years’ service on Britain’s railways(Image: Alstom)
A man who chose his career path when he was just four years old has retired after five decades of service. Ken Davies, from Liverpool, has worked on the railway in Merseyside for 50 years, following in the footsteps of his sister, dad and grandfather, who between them have tallied up 157 years of service.
The 67-year-old, who began his career on the railway on the Wirral, progressed quickly through signalling and train crew roles, before moving in to senior traffic management positions. Earlier this year, Ken was surprised by his colleagues at the Alstom Transport Technology Centre in Widnes when they unveiled a plaque with his name on, fitted to the side of a locomotive in honour of his service.
A fitting send-off was organised at Alstom’s Liverpool Traincare Centre on Friday, August 29, where he was surrounded by many of the trains he had worked on over the last five decades. Following a series of speeches in front of around 30 colleagues, Ken was whisked away on board a vintage bus from the Merseyside Transport Trust.
Ken has been an active member of the trust for five years, and their 1968 Leyland Panther bus took him and his colleagues on a nostalgic trip across the port city, passing by many of the places that have shaped his and his family’s lives.
Ken said: “My career has taken me across the length and breadth of this country, and around the world. Throughout, I have been supported by the ‘railway family’, who’ve been with me through every challenge and triumph.
Ken began his career on the railway on the Wirral(Image: Alstom)
“I had made my mind up at the age of four that working on the railway was what I wanted to do with my life. It’s gone so quickly and I am looking forward to a break, but something tells me that this won’t be the last time I am working in this environment. The railway gets under your skin – in the best way possible.”
General manager at Alstom Ben Cooke said: “We are immensely proud of Ken’s remarkable career, spanning over five decades of dedicated service to the railways.
“It’s been a privilege to support a journey that has brought him such lasting fulfilment. At Alstom, we strive to create meaningful careers for passionate individuals like Ken, and we look forward to continuing this legacy through our growing recruitment programmes that are supporting the next generation of rail leaders.”
In a touching tribute, singer-songwriter Bill Ryder-Jones, from West Kirby, performed an original song, Climbing The Shap Again, written for Ken as part of BBC Radio 2’s 21st Century Folk series.
The performance took place onboard a Derby-built Class 720 Alstom Aventra during The Greatest Gathering.
Fittingly, Ken’s retirement coincides with the 200th anniversary of the modern railway – a milestone Alstom marked earlier this month with The Greatest Gathering at its historic Derby Litchurch Lane Works.
The event drew 40,000 visitors and showcased a unique collection of historic and modern trains.
Among the featured exhibits was a Class 08 locomotive, 08721, now bearing a plaque with Ken’s name – a surprise honour recognising his 50 years of service.