‘Reminiscences of a Retired Railwayman’, by John Noorani, 6th May 2025
6th May 2025 Meeting.
For our 6th May meeting we welcomed former SWT Manager John Noorani with his talk ‘Reminiscences of a Retired Railwayman’.
Passing my school was the Atlantic Coast Express and this, along with electric trains started my love of railways, much to the annoyance of my mother who wanted me to go to university to study Botany!
I started off at Wimbledon in the Information Office and in the Autumn went to the Divisional Office at Walpole Road which included evening classes to improve my railway knowledge.
Next move was to the ER at Liverpool Street in the Signalling Section in the Incidents and Accidents section.
Missing the SR l applied for the Station Managers position at Claygate, which also had responsibility for Hinchley Wood and Cobham. Moving on to ASM at Surbiton then Wimbledon which also covered Earlswood to East Putney plus Wimbledon Park Depot.
My next move was to Station Master at Clapham Junction who was also responsible from West London Junction to Earlsfield and East Putney as well as Clapham Yard and North Pole Junction.
1989 saw me as a GM at Waterloo then Guildford moving back to Waterloo. In 1994 Railtrack was formed. I stayed in this position until retirement after 40 years’ service in January 2012. I was persuaded to stay on until after the Olympics which went really well and thoroughly enjoyable.
That finished the first half of the show and in the second half there was a Q&A session which lasted 45 minutes and kept John on his toes answering far ranging questions. The attendance of 25 enjoyed the evening.
Rob Davidson, Branch Secretary