We are very pleased to welcome to our meeting on April 12th 2021, Geoff Hudson, former Area Fleet Manager at Laira Depot in Plymouth.
Geoff takes us through his past experience as HST Engineer for the ECML at Regional Headquarters in York Area, Area Fleet Manager at Laira Depot, Fleet Technical Manager for InterCity Great Western at Swindon and present as Consultant Engineer to the Railway Industry advising problem solving and developing technical Issues with HST’s. The longest serving HST engineer in the country. He is most well known for his association with the Class 50 fleet and masterminded the fleet farewell tours in the early 1990's during his time as the Area Fleet Manager.
There will be opportunity for participants to ask questions and have such answered as a key part of the meeting. Questions can be about (for example) either the Class 50 locomotive maintenance and history, or Class 47/4's used by Great Western, how the HST power cars are coping with their transition to duties in Scotland or about any aspects of Geoff's work. Questions MUST be asked in advance via email to David Goodyear, fixtures secretary (see PRC magazine for email address) or by using the below form by Monday 5 April 2021.
Please note that David will compére the questions, as this avoids the difficulties that may occur whilst zoom members are muted. There may be opportunity for some "live" questions at the end.
Please note submission of questions are now closed, however Geoff maybe able to take additional questions on the evening depending upon time.
Geoff takes us through his past experience as HST Engineer for the ECML at Regional Headquarters in York Area, Area Fleet Manager at Laira Depot, Fleet Technical Manager for InterCity Great Western at Swindon and present as Consultant Engineer to the Railway Industry advising problem solving and developing technical Issues with HST’s. The longest serving HST engineer in the country. He is most well known for his association with the Class 50 fleet and masterminded the fleet farewell tours in the early 1990's during his time as the Area Fleet Manager.
There will be opportunity for participants to ask questions and have such answered as a key part of the meeting. Questions can be about (for example) either the Class 50 locomotive maintenance and history, or Class 47/4's used by Great Western, how the HST power cars are coping with their transition to duties in Scotland or about any aspects of Geoff's work. Questions MUST be asked in advance via email to David Goodyear, fixtures secretary (see PRC magazine for email address) or by using the below form by Monday 5 April 2021.
Please note that David will compére the questions, as this avoids the difficulties that may occur whilst zoom members are muted. There may be opportunity for some "live" questions at the end.
Please note submission of questions are now closed, however Geoff maybe able to take additional questions on the evening depending upon time.
A Summary of Geoff Hudson – Railway Career
1973 – 1975 I joined British Rail in September 1973 as an Engineering Trainee starting in Doncaster Works in the Locomotive Repair Shop known as the Crimpsal and more specifically the Stripping Shop where locos were dismantled. A definite culture change from student life.
By 1974 I was at Bath Road Depot Bristol just as the first Class 50’s arrived from the LMR. A fascinating time learning the mystique of their electronic traction control and Load Banking Locos. This was followed by a period at Paddington in the Chief Locomotive Inspectors Office riding and fault-finding locomotives.
1975 – 1977 My first appointment was at Landore Depot Swansea as a Technical Officer with responsibility for the fleet of Class 47/4 Locomotives that worked Padd – Swansea services. This was also the start of the introduction of HST’s, so I was involved right from the start for the service introduction in 1976.
1977 – 1985 I moved to Bounds Green Depot outside Kings Cross as a Shift Production Manager ready for the introduction in 1978 of HST’s on the ECML and in 1981 was appointed Traction & Rolling Stock Engineer at the depot and saw HST’s into full squadron service and the start of technical development of HST.
1985 – 1989 I was appointed to HST Engineer for the ECML at Regional Headquarters in York. During my time we met and solved many engineering challenges to keep HST’s in front line service. The highlight was the launch of the Tees-Tyne Pullman and the world record breaking run for Diesel Traction which I oversaw and was on the footplate, what a thrilling day that was.
1989 – 1996 A move to Laira Depot as Area Fleet Manager Plymouth to what was to become the biggest HST Depot in the country with two thirds of the national fleet based there. Apart from the build up of HST’s of course was the final years of Class 50’s always synonymous with Laira and a class that I had worked on earlier in my career. Such was the following of the Class that I felt it my responsibility to allow access to and promoted their final years in a way that at the outset we never realised what would be achieved. Of course, this was also a very unsettling and uncertain time for the industry with the run up to privatisation and never quite sure how it would turn out.
1996 – 1998 Sadly with privatisation my role at Laira came to an end and I was appointed Fleet Technical Manager for InterCity Great Western at Swindon and the start of transition into the privatised railway.
1998 – Date I left Great Western and a change of direction as I became a Consultant Engineer to the Railway Industry advising and solving and developing Technical Issues with HST’s, a role I still perform to this day as Principal T & RS Consultant of Cambrian Transport Ltd, which is a consortium of Ex Senior BR Engineers. I particularly advise the Rolling Stock Leasing Companies as owners of HST’s as well as all the Train Operators of HST’s. So, from my office at Laira or from home in Cornwall we keep the HST’s still running and can equally be advising GWR at Laira or Scotrail at Haymarket.
Most people know me for my role with Class 50’s, the reality is quite different. I am the longest serving HST Engineer in the Country and sit on the national body the HST User Group. With over 46 years with HST, and still going with probably the most successful and influential locomotive we have built.
But of course, there has been Class 50 and it has been an honour and privilege to have managed the rundown of the fleet and in their transition into preservation I keep an interest in my role as Honorary President of the Class Fifty Fund.
1973 – 1975 I joined British Rail in September 1973 as an Engineering Trainee starting in Doncaster Works in the Locomotive Repair Shop known as the Crimpsal and more specifically the Stripping Shop where locos were dismantled. A definite culture change from student life.
By 1974 I was at Bath Road Depot Bristol just as the first Class 50’s arrived from the LMR. A fascinating time learning the mystique of their electronic traction control and Load Banking Locos. This was followed by a period at Paddington in the Chief Locomotive Inspectors Office riding and fault-finding locomotives.
1975 – 1977 My first appointment was at Landore Depot Swansea as a Technical Officer with responsibility for the fleet of Class 47/4 Locomotives that worked Padd – Swansea services. This was also the start of the introduction of HST’s, so I was involved right from the start for the service introduction in 1976.
1977 – 1985 I moved to Bounds Green Depot outside Kings Cross as a Shift Production Manager ready for the introduction in 1978 of HST’s on the ECML and in 1981 was appointed Traction & Rolling Stock Engineer at the depot and saw HST’s into full squadron service and the start of technical development of HST.
1985 – 1989 I was appointed to HST Engineer for the ECML at Regional Headquarters in York. During my time we met and solved many engineering challenges to keep HST’s in front line service. The highlight was the launch of the Tees-Tyne Pullman and the world record breaking run for Diesel Traction which I oversaw and was on the footplate, what a thrilling day that was.
1989 – 1996 A move to Laira Depot as Area Fleet Manager Plymouth to what was to become the biggest HST Depot in the country with two thirds of the national fleet based there. Apart from the build up of HST’s of course was the final years of Class 50’s always synonymous with Laira and a class that I had worked on earlier in my career. Such was the following of the Class that I felt it my responsibility to allow access to and promoted their final years in a way that at the outset we never realised what would be achieved. Of course, this was also a very unsettling and uncertain time for the industry with the run up to privatisation and never quite sure how it would turn out.
1996 – 1998 Sadly with privatisation my role at Laira came to an end and I was appointed Fleet Technical Manager for InterCity Great Western at Swindon and the start of transition into the privatised railway.
1998 – Date I left Great Western and a change of direction as I became a Consultant Engineer to the Railway Industry advising and solving and developing Technical Issues with HST’s, a role I still perform to this day as Principal T & RS Consultant of Cambrian Transport Ltd, which is a consortium of Ex Senior BR Engineers. I particularly advise the Rolling Stock Leasing Companies as owners of HST’s as well as all the Train Operators of HST’s. So, from my office at Laira or from home in Cornwall we keep the HST’s still running and can equally be advising GWR at Laira or Scotrail at Haymarket.
Most people know me for my role with Class 50’s, the reality is quite different. I am the longest serving HST Engineer in the Country and sit on the national body the HST User Group. With over 46 years with HST, and still going with probably the most successful and influential locomotive we have built.
But of course, there has been Class 50 and it has been an honour and privilege to have managed the rundown of the fleet and in their transition into preservation I keep an interest in my role as Honorary President of the Class Fifty Fund.