Greater Anglia's Alan Faulkner Celebrates Half a Century

Colleagues at Greater Anglia’s Ilford Depot came together on Friday to say a final goodbye to long serving Alan Faulkner who recently retired after half a century of dedicated service to the railway.

An Essex lad born and bred, Alan was inspired to join the railway when as a young lad he watched the steam trains go by at Ragmarsh Farm, in Wrabness.

At 15 Alan began an engineering apprenticeship based at the St Pancras training centre, before working at Ilford Depot and then London Liverpool Street station as a fitter. Later in his career Alan returned to Ilford Depot, where he worked as a yard assistant.

Dave Lupton, Greater Anglia’s Fleet Production Manager said: “Alan has given 50 years of dedicated service to the railway. He is unique, very generous and always ready to help. We would like to thank him for his efforts and wish him a very happy retirement.”

Greater Anglia’s Ilford Depot team maintains the train operator’s fleet of Class 379, 317, 321 and 360 electric trains, which operate from London Liverpool Street station to destinations across the East of England including Cambridge, Stansted Airport, Shenfield, Southend Victoria and the Great Eastern mainline.

Alan's love of steam locomotives has continued throughout his life and he has travelled all around the world in pursuit of his hobby, in the New Year Alan intends to go to New Zealand on a special steam tour.