Supervisor celebrates 55 years on the railways

A station supervisor from Kent has celebrated his 55th anniversary of working on the railways.

Dougie Calder, 71, joined British Rail in Margate in 1969, aged 16.

On 6 December his long service, commitment and encouraging personality were recognised at an event with current and former colleagues, hosted by Southeastern railway.

Mr Calder said: "I've been very lucky to have achieved everything I have on the railway, and I have no plans to retire all the time I'm healthy."

"When you enjoy what you do, you keep doing it," he added.

Mr Calder started as a junior porter at Margate station.

He said over the five decades of work he had seen "many things change" and used to have to "get under dirty trains to couple the wagons".

He moved to Ramsgate station to work as a conductor before returning to Margate where he continues to work.

At the event, he was given a coin engraved with the date he joined the railway.

David Wornham, Southeastern's passenger services director said Mr Calder was "a real-life example of how the railway can be a career for life" and encouraged people to consider a career in the railways.

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