Locomotive named after worker for long service

Ken Davies said it was "a total honour" to have the engine named after him

A locomotive has been named after a Liverpool man who has spent 50 years working on the railway.

Ken Davies was surprised by colleagues at manufacturer Alstom Transport Technology Centre in Widnes, Cheshire, where the site's ornamental Class 08 locomotive has been fitted with a plaque bearing his name.

The 66-year-old, whose grandfather, father and sister also worked on the railway, said it was "a total honour".

"The rail industry has named locomotives after military regiments, football teams, ocean liners and big cities, so to be held in the same regard is a total honour," he said.

Mr Davies, who now lives in Ashton-in-Makerfield, began his career in Wirral, taking on signalling and crew roles, before moving in to senior traffic management positions.

He joined Alstom in 2002, where he managed the company's operations along the West Coast Main Line, as well as the Old Dalby Test Track.

The Class 08 is a shunting locomotive and used to be a common sight in railway freight yards

Mr Davies continued: "The railway has many great assets and the size of the network allows you to visit the whole of the country."

Today, his role at Alstom is to mitigate risks when operational procedures are changed, particularly when a new fleet is introduced.

Head of operations Liz Lumber said: "Ken's experience is second to none, which he applies in a measured way to teach others, using real examples to enhance the learning.

"He is always willing to go the extra mile to support business-critical projects.

"I am so happy for him that he has a Class 08 named after him. Well deserved."