60 years a signalling engineer

[whole diary]

[grahame]

From the York Press

A SIGNALLING engineer from York has chalked up a remarkable 60 YEARS working in the railway industry.

Rod Price joined British Rail as a 16-year-old in 1960, when most of the trains were steam and there were semaphore signals.

Now at 76 - when most people have long since retired and put their feet up - he’s still working, having adapted to a raft of dramatic technological changes in the industry over the decades.

Although he now works part time, Rod, now of Hungate but formerly of Appletree Village, is still out in the signal boxes most weekends, supporting less experienced staff.  ...

Congratulations, Rod.   

Reminds me ... of 'old times'.  My Dad joined a company from School and retired from that company a lifetime later - though with retirement generously before state pension age to give him and my mum a very, very long and active retirement.  Mind, each to their own career; it sounds like Rod has remained in the same field for 60 years where Dad move through roles to end up in a position that wouldn't have even been dreamed of when he started.

[Electric train]

Makes my 45 years look part time 

[Celestial]

A very appropriate name too, for someone who joined in the era when semaphores were common place.  I wonder what name relating to modern signalling equipment a new joiner might have?

[rower40]

A very appropriate name too, for someone who joined in the era when semaphores were common place.  I wonder what name relating to modern signalling equipment a new joiner might have?

Terence Edward Gram.  Known to his colleagues as Tel E. Gram.

[grahame]

A very appropriate name too, for someone who joined in the era when semaphores were common place.  I wonder what name relating to modern signalling equipment a new joiner might have?

Terence Edward Gram.  Known to his colleagues as Tel E. Gram.

John Bull's daughter Kay was delighted that gender equality arrived and she could join in the electronic age.

[GBM]

Our own S&T^▸ (Signalling and Telegraph) Engineer must have clocked up a few years as well?

[SandTEngineer]

Our own S&T^▸ (Signalling and Telegraph) Engineer must have clocked up a few years as well?

I'm only a youngster in comparison.  Fifty-one years for me this coming August

I worked with Rod Price when I was Tester-in-Charge of the signalling for the new Eurostar depot at North Pole International in 1992 (now the Hitachi IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) depot).

[GBM]

Congratulations S&T^▸ (Signalling and Telegraph) Engineer; well survived so far!
Good to see not all knowledge has been lost by all the changes over the years 

[Witham Bobby]

I joined BR^▸ (British Rail(ways))(WR) in 1973.  47 years ago.

I didn't stay long - the invitation to join the West Somerset Railway as its first Operating Superintendent in February 1976 was an interesting challenge and I knew that the Divisional management at Bristol were already scheming to abolish all the mechanical signalling in the Westbury area and that I'd likely be redundant soon anyway, being a recent joiner.

I just got the grant of my Railway Pension from Avivia.  I can have a taxable £47 lump sum, or can take £2.70 per year guaranteed for five years.  Riches I'd not even dreamed of back in the 1970s

[Celestial]

I joined BR^▸ (British Rail(ways))(WR) in 1973.  47 years ago.

I didn't stay long - the invitation to join the West Somerset Railway as its first Operating Superintendent in February 1976 was an interesting challenge and I knew that the Divisional management at Bristol were already scheming to abolish all the mechanical signalling in the Westbury area and that I'd likely be redundant soon anyway, being a recent joiner.

I just got the grant of my Railway Pension from Avivia.  I can have a taxable £47 lump sum, or can take £2.70 per year guaranteed for five years.  Riches I'd not even dreamed of back in the 1970s

Don't spend it all at once!  I would take the £2.70 a year, as unless you are in poor health it should be worth more. And more to the point, it must cost them much more than the amount paid to administer and pay the pension, so it's quite likely they will make you a significantly better offer to get shot of the thing some time in the future.

[TonyK]

I joined BR^▸ (British Rail(ways))(WR) in 1973.  47 years ago.

I didn't stay long - the invitation to join the West Somerset Railway as its first Operating Superintendent in February 1976 was an interesting challenge and I knew that the Divisional management at Bristol were already scheming to abolish all the mechanical signalling in the Westbury area and that I'd likely be redundant soon anyway, being a recent joiner.

I just got the grant of my Railway Pension from Avivia.  I can have a taxable £47 lump sum, or can take £2.70 per year guaranteed for five years.  Riches I'd not even dreamed of back in the 1970s

I know a financial adviser, who will give you his advice for a mere £48.