An 84-year-old train manager is still working on services across the North West more than three decades after joining the railway industry. Bob Carpenter continues to welcome passengers on Avanti West Coast services running along the West Coast Main Line, travelling from London Euston to destinations including the North West and Scotland.
He is believed to be among the oldest serving train managers in the UK and still works part-time despite reaching retirement age. Mr Carpenter was born in June 1942 and grew up in south London near the Brighton Main Line, where he first developed an interest in railways.
Inspired by his father’s passion for trains and a British Rail careers representative who visited his school, he applied for a railway job at the age of 15 and was offered a Fireman Cleaner role. However, he was unable to take it up after teachers declined to release him early from his studies and the opportunity later lapsed. He instead spent around 20 years working in clerical roles at Royal Mail before returning to pursue his ambition of working on the railway.
He joined British Rail in 1992 as onboard catering staff and later progressed to train manager, a role he has held for nearly 35 years. Mr Carpenter said he had chosen to continue working because of his long-standing passion for the railway and the enjoyment he gets from helping customers.
“I’ve loved the railways since I was a kid,” he said. “I could have stopped working when I reached retirement age, but it gives me a reason to get up in the morning. It’s such a pleasure to come to work and be part of such a great wider onboard team that stretches from London to Scotland, North Wales, the North West and West Midlands. I love customer service. I’ve always enjoyed meeting new people as well as speaking to customers and hearing their stories.”
He added that the railway environment had given him a strong sense of community. “It’s like an extended family. You’re working closely with people for long periods and they become a big part of your life.”
Reflecting on his career, Mr Carpenter said some of his fondest memories came from working special Grand National services during the 1990s. He described journeys between London Euston and Liverpool Lime Street as particularly enjoyable, saying they were filled with humour and camaraderie from start to finish. “The whole trip was just laughter,” he said. “It was some of the best fun I’ve had in years.”
Mr Carpenter said the Manchester route had also remained a particular favourite throughout his career. “The Manchester route has always been popular, even back in British Rail days, because it’s a key link between the city and London,” he said. “In the early years of my railway career, I fondly remember the Manchester Pullman trains that used to run with First Class carriages kitted out with white tablecloths and an at-seat dinner service.”
Railways have also become a family tradition for the Carpenters. His grandson, Nick Carpenter, 37, also works for the same West Coast operator, having joined after completing his A-levels in 2006. Like his grandfather, he began his career in onboard catering before progressing to train manager.
Nick said his grandfather had a strong influence on his decision to join the railway industry. “As a child, he’d come home in his uniform and tell us he’d been to Scotland and back in a day,” he said. “That stuck with me.” He also recalled being given a train whistle by his grandfather during a childhood visit to the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway, which he still uses in his work today. “It stayed in a drawer for years, and now I never leave without it,” he said.
Nick added that one of his first shifts after qualifying saw him working alongside his grandfather on a busy Sunday service to Glasgow. “He never stopped the entire journey,” he said. “From Euston through to Preston, he was constantly helping passengers.”
Kathryn O’Brien, customer experience director at Avanti West Coast, said Mr Carpenter was a valued and respected member of the onboard team. She said his long service, professionalism and enthusiasm for the railway made him a well-known figure among colleagues.
