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Richard Fairhurst
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« on: December 03, 2020, 10:43:48 » |
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Stakeholder email this morning: I?d like you to be one of the first to know that, after a year as interim managing director at South Western Railway, Mark Hopwood will be returning to Great Western Railway as Managing Director from 4 January next year.
It has been an absolute privilege to have led GWR▸ through this very challenging year, and I?m grateful for the support you have given me and the GWR family. I also know that Mark is very much looking forward to getting back to the Western and working with you all again.
I?m proud and pleased of what we?ve been able to achieve in the past year, from improving train service performance and securing investment in key projects across our network, to keeping our key workers moving through a global pandemic and supporting the local economic recovery in the communities we serve.
At the same time, I?ve been asked to take up a secondment to the First Rail leadership team to focus on the development of FirstGroup?s future rail businesses and contractual arrangements.
This is an exciting opportunity to use the skills and experience from this year, as well as my time working on previous franchise bids, to help our sister train companies in FirstGroup and I look forward to helping secure and shape the future of First?s rail businesses at this critical time.
During this time I will remain a statutory director at First Greater Western Ltd and will continue to take a keen interest in the business. In the meantime I hope you have a great Christmas and New Year.
Best wishes
Matthew
Matthew Golton | Managing Director | Great Western Railway
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grahame
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« Reply #1 on: December 03, 2020, 10:53:28 » |
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Just received by email ... Dear Graham
I?d like you to be one of the first to know that, after a year as interim managing director at South Western Railway, Mark Hopwood will be returning to Great Western Railway as Managing Director from 4 January next year.
It has been an absolute privilege to have led GWR▸ through this very challenging year, and I?m grateful for the support you have given me and the GWR family. I also know that Mark is very much looking forward to getting back to the Western and working with you all again.
I?m proud and pleased of what we?ve been able to achieve in the past year, from improving train service performance and securing investment in key projects across our network, to keeping our key workers moving through a global pandemic and supporting the local economic recovery in the communities we serve.
At the same time, I?ve been asked to take up a secondment to the First Rail leadership team to focus on the development of FirstGroup?s future rail businesses and contractual arrangements.
This is an exciting opportunity to use the skills and experience from this year, as well as my time working on previous franchise bids, to help our sister train companies in FirstGroup and I look forward to helping secure and shape the future of First?s rail businesses at this critical time.
During this time I will remain a statutory director at First Greater Western Ltd and will continue to take a keen interest in the business. In the meantime I hope you have a great Christmas and New Year.
Best wishes
Matthew Matthew is very well suited to the ongoing negotiation for the future of First, and with a significant "Customer First" bias, in our changed world and I wish him all the very best in the role he describes. I'm sure he'll remember us and be in touch occasionally as appropriate building towards a sustainable public transport system for the future - sustainable in terms of building positive passenger use, developing for the future where both climate and covid lead us down lines not imagined a decade ago and with the social changes they bring. Sustainable also in financial terms - looking after First group for sure, but also staff and passengers and the treasury. It will be good to welcome Mark back too. We have missed him (though I will not say "sadly" as he has had an enormous job at SWR» ) and look forward to seeing him around and taking steps through next year(s) as public transport in general and GWR in particular rebuild. 2020 has seen public transport and the economy kicked back dramatically ... there is much work for both Mark and Mattew to do in 2021 |
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Coffee Shop Admin, Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, TravelWatch SouthWest Board Member
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bradshaw
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« Reply #2 on: December 03, 2020, 17:55:35 » |
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Timmer
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« Reply #3 on: December 30, 2020, 22:51:54 » |
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BBC» South Today?s Paul Clifton has just tweeted that Mark Hopwood has been awarded a CBE.
Congratulations Mark.
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grahame
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« Reply #4 on: December 31, 2020, 00:17:23 » |
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BBC» South Today?s Paul Clifton has just tweeted that Mark Hopwood has been awarded a CBE.
Congratulations Mark.
From The London GazetteTo be Ordinary Commanders of the Civil Division of the said Most Excellent Order:
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Mark HOPWOOD, Managing Director, Great Western Railway. For services to Transport. Congratulations, indeed, Mark. |
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Coffee Shop Admin, Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, TravelWatch SouthWest Board Member
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bobm
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« Reply #5 on: December 31, 2020, 04:33:41 » |
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Nice to see another member of the Coffee Shop included in the Honours List.  |
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Electric train
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« Reply #6 on: December 31, 2020, 06:59:36 » |
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It is great to see someone in the rail industry recognised, congratulations Mark
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Starship just experienced what we call a rapid unscheduled disassembly, or a RUD, during ascent,”
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ChrisB
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« Reply #7 on: December 31, 2020, 08:56:09 » |
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Well deserved, congratukations Mark
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paul7575
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« Reply #8 on: January 01, 2021, 23:47:19 » |
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Cancelled Buffet Equipment?  Paul |
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grahame
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« Reply #9 on: January 02, 2021, 10:17:47 » |
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Cancelled Buffet Equipment? Paul Yeah ... here's where the letter come from. ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE
To be Ordinary Commanders of the Civil Division of the said Most Excellent Order:
I appreciate that I asked people to fill in acronyms in another thread, then failed to do so in my post of congratulation; gives me another chance to congratulate Mark. |
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Coffee Shop Admin, Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, TravelWatch SouthWest Board Member
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TonyK
Global Moderator
Hero Member
Posts: 6640
The artist formerly known as Four Track, Now!
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« Reply #10 on: January 02, 2021, 20:17:40 » |
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Congratulations from me too, Mark. Hard-earned, for sure!
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Now, please!
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broadgage
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« Reply #11 on: February 22, 2021, 19:51:08 » |
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Cancelled Buffet Equipment? Paul Cancelled Buffet Enjoyment perhaps. Despite the badly downgraded catering, I still congratulate Mr Hopwood on this award. |
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A proper intercity train has a minimum of 8 coaches, gangwayed throughout, with first at one end, and a full sized buffet car between first and standard.
It has space for cycles, surfboards,luggage etc.
A 5 car DMU▸ is not a proper inter-city train. The 5+5 and 9 car DMUs are almost as bad.
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bobm
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« Reply #12 on: May 31, 2021, 16:20:38 » |
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There is an interesting article on the career (so far) of Mark Hopwood in the latest Railway Magazine with part two to come next month. Well worth a read.
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bradshaw
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« Reply #13 on: July 10, 2021, 16:51:25 » |
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In addition to the Railway Magazine articles are the INTUITIVE INSIGHT podcasts run by Nina Lockwood. Number 10 features Mark Hopwood and can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbtgPhwcjZMIt lasts for 47 minutes. There are a number of others which feature railway people, such as Nigel Harris and Chris Green. |
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« Last Edit: July 11, 2021, 16:47:35 by bradshaw »
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TonyK
Global Moderator
Hero Member
Posts: 6640
The artist formerly known as Four Track, Now!
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« Reply #14 on: July 11, 2021, 16:21:33 » |
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There are a number of others in which railway people like Nigel Harris and Chris Green.
Remind me why they like them. |
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Now, please!
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