PEOPLE
8 | RailStaff | October 2015
Montgomery of Aberdeen Steve Montgomery is the new managing director of FirstGroup’s rail division. Formerly head of ScotRail, Montgomery led the train company to its highest ever levels of customer satisfaction and punctuality. Award-winning ScotRail won the Scottish Public Transport Operator of the Year in both 2012 and 2013. However, after Abellio-Serco took over, Montgomery stepped down - despite initially agreeing to stay on. Steve’s career in the railway industry spans almost 30 years. He started with British Rail and comes from Johnstone, near Paisley in Renfrewshire. He built a solid career in rail operations and safety. At privatisation in 1997, Montgomery became passenger service manager responsible for Glasgow Queen Street, Edinburgh and the north of Scotland.
When Aberdeen-based FirstGroup took over ScotRail in October 2004, he was appointed operations and safety director and became managing director of ScotRail 2009. Steve began his new role on 28 September. Never one to let the grass grow under his feet, his interests outside work centre on gardening. Says FirstGroup chief executive Tim O’Toole, ‘I am delighted to welcome Steve back to FirstGroup. In his new role, our rail division will benefit from his proven track record of leadership, successful franchise management and building strong relationships with customers, employees and stakeholders.’ He added, ‘I would also like to take this opportunity to extend my thanks and gratitude to Dave Gausby for his support and valuable contribution as interim First rail MD. Dave will continue to provide support to Steve,
in his usual position as director of rail strategy.’ A delighted Steve Montgomery is clearly pleased to be back at FirstGroup. ‘I’m thrilled to be returning to FirstGroup to run its rail division.
Our train companies continue to go from strength to strength and we are about to enter an exciting phase of the franchising cycle, so I’m looking forward to the challenges and opportunities ahead.’
Costain Backs Rail Apprentices Jacobs joins Northern Rail Costain’s rail sector has taken on two apprentices who have completed their three-year training course. Mark Weight specialised in Signalling. Chris Lambe majored in Electrification and Plant. It could all have been so different for Chris and Mark, who just missed out on a job with Network Rail. The Network Rail apprentice programme attracted more applicants than there were places. Costain’s Head of Signalling, Andy Parsons, takes up the story. ‘After filling the positions Network Rail had about 10-15 youngsters that they didn’t want to let go, but didn’t have places for and asked contractors if they wanted to take them on. We took on Mark and Chris three years ago and the following year we took on another two Permanent Way apprentices. We’ve also taken on another Signalling and another Electrification apprentice and those four are about to start their final year.’
The first year of the apprenticeship is a residential placement at the Royal Navy’s HMS Collingwood and HMS Sultan in Gosport, Hampshire. The course focuses on BTEC/PEO/ NVQ Level 2 and a comprehensive array of theory and practical elements linked to rail engineering. Apprentices are encouraged to get involved with activities such as the Field Gun Race and a variety of sports. Says Parsons, ‘In the second year, all apprentices – Network Rail and external – have a placement plan to complete within their respective areas. This is required to enable them to gain the underpinning knowledge for completion of their NVQ Level 3. Any external apprentices are found placements with Network Rail maintenance teams close to their home location, as they are renewals/ project-focused, not maintenance.’ Andy Parsons anticipates the two newly-qualified staff will be the first of a steady trickle of young, qualified technicians for the rail sector. ‘We have a desire, almost an obligation, to bring apprentices into the industry,’ he said.
Andrea Jacobs has been appointed as safety and environment director at Northern Rail. Previously, Jacobs worked for Alstom Transport and Bombardier. She has also worked as a consultant on health, safety and environmental issues and is a qualified chartered accountant. Says Alex Hynes, managing director for Northern, ‘Keeping our customers
safe is a challenge as they move around a network as busy and varied as ours.’ Hynes hopes to see more staff involvement in energy saving measures. ‘We’ve also embedded a business-wide strategy for energy management which, when put into action, allows us to address issues collaboratively with our employees, making sure we are all contributing to our energy savings.’