A life in Railways by Colin Fisher.
Colin Fisher spoke about his interesting career in “A Life on the Railway” having joined the British Railways as young man in 1978. He started at Harwich Parkstone Quay, which then had regular boat trains to Manchester and London and also train ferries carrying freight wagons. The latter were then the mainstay of the operations there, with lots of shunting. Four vessels provided the service, until partly replaced by the ill-fated Sea Link Vanguard. By 1984 Colin had qualified as driver on the Class 47 Diesel, going to Ipswich to pass his driver’s check and was subsequently promoted to train and drive many other types of traction, whether Diesel, Electric, EMU or DMU, becoming an Instructor and then a Traction Inspector at Kings Cross. Colin loved driving trains rather than management. He has lost count of all the different types he has driven, such as the Class 86, Class 90, EMU Classes 308, 309 310, 313s etc., As he moved up and around the system he started to take a camera with him and has taken excellent photos from privileged lineside positions. Colin was Standards Officer at West Anglia Great Northern before becoming a manager at RAILTRACK. Post RAILTRACK Colin returned to driving and related roles on the East Coast Mainline, in turn with GNER, National Express and later Virgin East Coast – the uniforms and liveries changing each time. Colin also grew to love the Settle & Carlisle Line and his camera has captured interesting and diverse specials including the Royal Train. Colin retired in 2016 and his wife got to ride in the cab as he drove an HST into Kings X from Newcastle on his last duty. He now volunteering to train to drive for the North Norfolk preserved railway and is also building a model railway layout depicting part of the S & C route. Highly recommended.