Roy’s railway career spans 40 years. It began with British Rail and was built in railway operations and management. It later embraced senior positions in light rail and consultancy, engagement with the Department for Transport, train and tram operators. Roy has developed, led and managed operational planning and train service innovation, station investment projects, franchise development, quality management, marketing, customer service development, financial assessments, safety, project, contingency and strategic planning, community railway partnerships implementation and stakeholder relations. In the latter case Roy instigated Station Friends in Greater Manchester, and was involved in many other ways with railway stakeholder relations.
He also helped to establish and was Chair, for 3 years, of the British Transport Police North West Independent Advisory Group, receiving an Asst. Chief Constable Commendation for his efforts. In transport education, as a part-time Lecturer at Liverpool John Moores University, he taught on the BSc (Hons) Transport Management Degree, specialising in railway-related subjects and was also a Tutor for the Chartered Institution of Railway Operators.
Roy says he is both an ‘enthusiasts for railways’ – committed to the contribution to communities, the national economy and sustainability that they can provide and ‘a railway enthusiast’. The latter extends to railway and transport heritage. He is Director of the East Lancashire Railway, a Board member of Greater Manchester Greater Transport Heritage and Chairman of the Greater Manchester Branch Irish Railway Record Society. A long-standing railway historian, Roy has written numerous articles and contributed to research on that history. As the rail adviser on the management group of Travel Watch North West, Vice-Chairman of the South East Lancashire CRP and a member of Friends of Heaton Chapel and Walden Stations, Roy is engaged in community rail ‘grass-roots’ issues. Very much a ‘people person’, Roy always seeks to proactively lead teams, motivate, develop and support individuals.
He is looking forward to using this knowledge and experience in working with the station friends and other community stakeholders that make up the C2M CRP at a time when the railway is facing much change and many challenges.