National Express train operator c2c’s award-winning Fleet Manager Tony Smith has retired after completing 36 years service in the rail industry.
Since 2001, he has been part of the team that has steered c2c’s fleet to the top of the punctuality and reliability charts.
It all began in 1962 when a young Tony Smith joined British Rail at Darnall Diesel Depot in Sheffield as an apprentice, moving to Tinsley, where he remained for about 15 years.
After some time away from the rail industry, Tony returned to the rails in 1990, working in a signalling and telecommunications role in the BR Southern Region, before joining West Anglia Great Northern at Hornsey Depot in 1996.
At Hornsey, Tony worked in a variety of roles, looking after everything from training, to materials and the buildings, before becoming Hornsey’s Resources and Contracts Engineer.
In June 2001, Tony made the move to c2c’s East Ham Depot and has never looked back, taking c2c’s Class 357 fleet from strength to strength, regularly performing to the highest levels of reliability in the industry.
In his time at the helm of the fleet, c2c has won an unheard of 5 ‘Golden Spanner’ awards for the reliability of their fleet.
This record-breaking reliability has been instrumental in helping c2c to set new UK records with industry leading standards of punctuality, yet to be bettered by any other franchised train operator in Britain.
Julian Drury c2c’s Managing Director said:
“Not only is Tony a Fleet Manager second to none, but he is also a fantastic colleague, selfless, humorous and energetic, always there for his team, supporting and encouraging them.”
It is these exceptional qualities which led to Tony Smith winning the ‘Outstanding Personal Contribution’ award at the 2008 National Rail Awards.
Speaking of his time on the railway Tony Smith said:
“The important thing is to pass on the knowledge you have, to give people a chance and encourage them.
“It makes you feel so proud when your colleagues take away the knowledge you’ve given them and become even better at the job than you are yourself.”
There speaks the selfless Fleet Manager, who has led his team at East Ham Depot to the ‘Maintenance Team of the Year’ award at the National Rail Awards two years in a row, in 2005 & 2006.
To mark his retirement, Tony’s colleagues arranged a special presentation for him at East Ham Depot on Friday 1 July.
