Published on: Friday, 16 September 2022
Last updated: Friday, 16 September 2022
Proud to be British
Dennis Upton makes sure trains and stations are in tiptop condition when VIPs use the Greater Anglia network and perhaps the most important VIP he ever had to prepare for was Her Majesty The Queen during the days of National Express East Anglia.
The Queen was travelling by train from Liverpool Street to Ipswich with the Duke of Edinburgh in November 2006. “I was in charge of making sure the train was clean and that red carpet was on the platform.
“I made sure the train was extra clean. We had red carpet on Platform 10 at Liverpool Street so the Queen and Duke were able to come straight to the platform by car and step straight onto the red carpet on the platform.
“She was a very nice lady. It was a pleasure meeting her. She’s been a people’s person and has served the country well.”
Dennis, a welcome host at Norwich station and VIP host, accompanied the Queen and Duke on the train all the way to Ipswich, on hand if they wanted anything including refreshments and newspapers.
He added: “Although I’m a Scot, I’m a Brit-Scot. The service the Queen has given this country and how she’s conducted herself makes you proud to be British.”