New appointments in the Mechanical Engineering department

2^nd November 2017

It is my pleasure to announce the appointment and promotion of several staff in the Mechanical Engineering department.

Following a review of the organisational structure in early 2017, and subsequent consultation with paid staff, one of the outcomes was that a greater delegation of responsibilities was required in order to:

1. spread the workload more evenly in the department
2. develop the management and leadership abilities of each individual
3. provide greater focus to overhaul and restoration activities
4. create a more nurturing environment for volunteers

As such:

Gary Brown joins the team as of 1^st November as ‘Lead Engineer – Locomotives’.

Reporting directly to myself, he will have responsibility for day to day workshop management as well as acting as Deputy Head of ME in my absence, but above all else providing a useful extra pair of hands!

Gary has extensive hands-on experience with steam and diesel locomotive restoration having previously founded his own company ‘GB Restorations’. Before that he spent 12 years as a Senior Mechanical Aircraft Technician with 9 Squadron at RAF Marham, specialising in Harriers and Tornados.

Richard Hiscox is promoted to ‘Maintenance Team Leader’.

Richard is already a well-known face on the railway having been a volunteer since 2005, full-time employee since 2010, and recently passing out as one of the railway’s youngest ever drivers. Seemingly ever present and always busy, he has put an awful lot of effort into the department in recent years and always encourages others – his promotion is therefore richly deserved.

Richard’s role will focus on organising and carrying out routine maintenance e.g 7-day exams, boiler washouts and running repairs.

Colin Henderson takes up the voluntary role of ‘Project Engineer – Overhauls and Restoration’.

Well known to many as Project Engineer for the 6024 Locomotive Society and a Driver / Senior Traction Inspector of many years on the WSR, Colin has recently been overseeing workshop activities at Minehead during the transition phase towards the new structure now in place.

Colin’s new role will see him taking charge of, amongst other things, the completion of 9351’s 10-year overhaul, the return to steam of 7828 (when boiler is finished) and the restoration of 4110.

I am sure you will join me in welcoming all three into their new roles. Some minor adjustments of job titles have also taken place and the new structure of the ME team is illustrated in the accompanying Org Chart which can be found here 

Yours sincerely

David Horton

Head of Mechanical Engineering

West Somerset Railway PLC