Ken Davis, a movements manager for Alstom, is being celebrated as he retired after 50 years of service.

On the 29th August, a send-off was organised at Alstom’s Liverpool Traincare Centre, where he was surrounded by many of the trains he had worked on.

Following a series of speeches, Ken was taken on a nostalgic trip around the city on a vintage bus from the Merseyside Transport Trust, which Ken has been a member of for the past few years.

Ken originally began his career on the Wirral, progressing through signalling and traincrew roles before he moved into senior traffic management positions.

Since joining Alstom in 2002, he has managed the company’s operations along the West Coast Main Line.

His final role at Alstom was mitigating risks following changes to operational procedures.

A class 08 locomotive, 08721, was also fitted with a plaque earlier this year, which bears his name in honour of his work, which could be seen at the Greatest Gathering.

“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.”

“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.”

Ken Davis