One of the UK’s oldest train managers is still welcoming passengers on board Avanti West Coast services at the age of 84.
Bob Carpenter, a grandfather of six, has become a familiar face to regular passengers on the West Coast Main Line, where he continues to work part-time as a Train Manager.
Known for his friendly smile and warm welcome, Bob’s love of the railway stretches back to his childhood in South London, where he grew up near the Brighton Main Line.
Born in June 1942, Bob was inspired by his father’s passion for trains and first tried to join the industry as a teenager. After speaking to a British Rail representative at a school careers evening, he applied for a Fireman Cleaner role at the age of 15 and was offered the job.
However, his teachers did not approve an early release from school and, by the time Bob left six months later, the opportunity had passed.
After spending two decades working in clerical roles for Royal Mail, Bob finally made his railway dream a reality in 1992 when he joined British Railways as catering staff.
He later trained as a Train Manager and, almost 35 years later, continues to work on the railway because of his passion for the industry and his love of helping passengers with their journeys.
For Bob, the railway has also become a family affair. His grandson, Nick Carpenter, 37, has followed in his footsteps by building his own career on the West Coast network.
Nick joined the intercity operator after completing his A-Levels in 2006, beginning in catering before also progressing to become a Train Manager.
The pair now share a special connection through their work, with both having taken similar paths into the railway and both continuing to play a part in helping passengers travel across the Avanti West Coast network.
Reflecting on his job, Bob said:
“I’ve loved the railway since I was a kid. Growing up close the main line between London Bridge and Brighton, I was sort of born into the sounds of trains.
“I could have stopped work when I reached retirement age, but it gives me a reason to get up in the morning. I have many interests at home; however we’ve all got to have something which we love doing, and working in this job is what I love doing.
“Working for the railways is like working as part of a family, they’re like an extended one. You care about these people as you’re with them 12 hours a day, three times a week.”
He continued:
“Looking back, some of my fondest memories are of the Grand National Specials we used to run in the nineties with volunteer crews. From the moment I left Euston to the moment I got to Lime Street and back again, I just never stopped laughing. As a man of my age at the time, I don’t know whether it’s working with younger people, but it was the greatest fun I’ve had in years.”
Working out of London Euston station, Bob travels all over the West Midlands and North West every week, providing a professional helping hand and welcoming manner to customers onboard his trains. He is beloved by his Avanti West Coast colleagues at the London hub for his friendly, always-smiling nature.
Speaking about following in his grandad’s footsteps, Nick added:
“It was inevitable, to be honest with my grandad being such a good role model. As a child I’d go to his house with my brothers and he’d turn up in his uniform at 9pm and tell us, ‘I’ve been to Scotland and back in a day’ – that for me that was magic.
“When I was 10, we were on holiday and took a trip on the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway, where he bought me a souvenir train whistle from the gift shop. It sat in my cupboard of keepsakes for years, and now, it is my whistle for work, and I never leave without it.
“When I finally joined the railway, I remember my first job that I had out on my own was actually working with him as my guard. We did a Glasgow train on a Sunday afternoon and it was really busy. He never stopped from the moment we left the platform at Euston until we got to Preston.”
Kathryn O’Brien, Customer Experience Director at Avanti West Coast said:
“Bob is a much-loved and highly respected part of our onboard team, who displays an incredible passion for the railway and his job every time he steps onto a train.
“We talk about being a railway family, and for Bob the railway has remained in his family with his grandson Nick inspired to also become a Train Manager. They are both such a joy amongst our Euston colleagues, and Bob truly is a fantastic role-model to highlight that you should never give up on achieving your dream job – no matter your age.”
