Bluebell Railway Directors

Neil Glaskin
Interim Chairman & DirectorNeil Glaskin
Interim Chairman & DirectorNeil has been volunteering at the Bluebell Railway since the age of 14 and undertaken many roles in the Operations and Commercial departments, he is currently a Duty Operations Manager, Guard, Shunter and Signalman.
Away from the Bluebell Railway Neil is a chartered member of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport and has a career working in the public transport industry for both bus operators and the local authority.

Michael Bishop
Commercial DirectorMichael Bishop
Commercial DirectorMichael brings 30 years of experience in the passenger transport industry and currently serves as a Director for a local bus company. In his leisure time, Michael enjoys exploring various modes of public transport, with a particular fondness for trains and ferries.

Tony Astor
Infrastructure DirectorTony Astor
Infrastructure DirectorIn 2008 I set up my own airport consultancy business and worked at a number of high-profile airports in the Middle East, focusing on the development of jet fuel infrastructure.
Following partial retirement in 2019, I became a volunteer project manager, initially in the Carriage & Wagon department before moving to Infrastructure to oversee the power upgrade project at Horsted Keynes.
Now fully retired, I have the time to take on new challenges.
Outside the railway, I enjoy skiing and continental touring cycling.

Nigel Page
IT DirectorNigel Page
IT DirectorI have worked across all aspects of the technology industry from IT infrastructure, application, modernisation and digital use cases for business and the consumer. While a technologist at heart I have had the opportunity to build programs which help people and organisations evolve their culture and simplify technology so it is not seen as a barrier to using it. My current role is with Amazon Web Services where I lead a team of technical architects helping customers adopt the latest Amazon technology and move their business to the cloud.
I really appreciate being involved in organisations which have a community presence. I was the Chairman and Councillor for Cuckfield Parish Council and over nine years was able to deliver on community-based projects for the environment, events, planning and highways. Something I still look back on was saving the local playgroup and village hall from closure.
It is this belief of communities which brings me to the Bluebell Railway as IT Director.

David Middleton
Operations DirectorDavid Middleton
Operations DirectorHe first joined the station staff at Sheffield Park, as a junior porter in 1971 and later became a station foreman, booking clerk, guard, shunter, signalman and Station Master at Sheffield Park, all of which duties he continues to perform today. He also holds the post of Signalmen’s Inspector and occasionally works with the mid-week infrastructure team based at Horsted Keynes.
Dave’s working life comprised 42 years in various posts in the rail industry, starting in ticket offices but mainly dealing with operational safety, including time at Eurostar and Network Rail, and short periods as signaller and controller. He is a Chartered Member of the Institute of Logistics and Transport and a Member of the Institution of Railway Operators.

Tim Gray
Locomotive Engineering DirectorTim Gray
Locomotive Engineering DirectorTim has been volunteering at The Bluebell Railway in the locomotive department since 2010 and has progressed through the grade at the railway to Locomotive Inspector. He is also the Locomotive Department Chief Roster Clerk at Sheffield Park.

Simon Hodges
Safety DirectorSimon Hodges
Safety DirectorHe has some ten years’ experience as the Company Secretary with responsibility of health and safety and insurance of two FTSE 200 leisure companies during which he was also an adviser on corporate governance issues to the ICSA and the London Stock Exchange.
He also spent over eleven years in the Middle East where he completed a 2-year assignment as head of the health funding project for the Government of Dubai as well as holding positions as the Company Secretary of The Jumeirah Group, Senior Executive Officer of Dubai Holding Insurance Services LLC and Head of Compliance for ADNEC and Company Secretary of Excel in London. In each of these, he was responsible for the Health & Safety and insurance functions.
From October 2011 he ran his own small consultancy business based in the in the UK but is now largely retired.
Simon is currently a volunteer as a member of the platform staff at Sheffield Park and has started guard training in September.
He’s very much looking forward to working with the Board and the wider team at the Bluebell Railway to create a world class facility with a sustainable business model.

Chris Welch
Finance DirectorChris Welch
Finance DirectorI am a retired Chartered Accountant (a life member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand). In New Zealand I was a partner in a mid-size business services practice and on the board of a large wine company.
In 1997 I came to the UK with my wife and family for a ‘sabbatical’. We loved it here and have ended up staying. In the UK I have worked as the Finance Director of a number of non-profit organisations.
I enjoy volunteering – its great to do something that is fun, interesting and where you get to meet a lot of people while doing something useful.
When I’m not working with the Bluebell team I’m busy with family, cycling, traveling and I have recently bought myself a 1952 Daimler. I have also been involved for many years with Dame Kiri te Kanawa’s foundation for young opera singers.
A huge number of volunteers have worked very hard over many years to make the Bluebell Railway the important and successful organisation it has become. I’m delighted to have a chance to do my bit to help it grow and develop further.

Graham Flight
Company Secretary and Board DirectorGraham Flight
Company Secretary and Board DirectorHe has held numerous offices on the Bluebell Railway starting with the old Extension Committee and Extension Company in 1982, through managing the conversion to a Plc in 1985 as company secretary and director and serving as chairman of Bluebell Railway Plc for 18 years up to 2013.
Graham wrote the original Bluebell Railway Charity Trust deed and served as a Trustee from formation to 2013.
He was chairman of the Northern Extension Project (NEP) leading to the completion of the project and the reconstruction and reopening of the line to East Grinstead in 2013. He now chairs the Western Extension Project (WEP).

Vernon Blackburn
Bluebell Railway Trust chairman and strategic adviser to boardVernon Blackburn
Bluebell Railway Trust chairman and strategic adviser to boardIn 2014 I was appointed the administrator of the Trust which supports the railway and in 2019 I became chairman.

Chris Barber
Director Of People ServicesChris Barber
Director Of People ServicesChris has had a varied working career serving in the Royal Air Force and the police in addition to holding various senior HR and Business Change and Transformation roles in both public and private sector organisations such as PwC, Serco, American Express and Mercedes Benz. Chris currently works in the defence industry and has travelled widely with work spending a lot of time on projects in the Far East, South Africa and the USA. He also has significant board level experience in the charity and heritage sectors.
When not working, Chris enjoys shooting, motor cycling and all things steam having for many years been involved in a hands-on role in the preservation of a Burrell Special Scenic Road locomotive.
Bluebell Railway Preservation Society
- President – Vacant
- Vice Presidents – Bill Brophy, Graham Flight, Charles Hudson MBE, David Quarmby CBE, Roy Watts MBE

Roy Watts MBE
Chairman
Gavin Bennett
Secretary
Don Brewer
Membership TrusteeDon Brewer
Membership TrusteeI was approached to plan and open a new service, which covered three trusts, which I ran until I retired. During this time, I served on local and national bodies. Part of a visiting group of lecturers at Manchester Metropolitan University. For my last two years on the Sussex Head and Neck Cancer Network.
My time at the Bluebell Railway started with being part of the team who carry out the whole line safety walks on Saturday. For the last fifteen years I have been the Membership Secretary to the BRPS.

Ian Watson
Finance TrusteeIan Watson
Finance TrusteeAfter obtaining a geology degree at Durham, I trained as a chartered accountant with a large London firm and after 12 years as an auditor, ended up as head of an audit department. I transferred to the firm’s training department, not only running courses on both technical, and personal and management skills but also being head of finance and administration of the department. I left in 1999 to become an independent consultant and effectively retired in 2008.
My interests are rugby (not playing), woodwork, amateur drama, Regency dancing, a 1963 MGB and now, with a grandson, once again, model railways!

Laurie Anderson
Loco Engineering Trustee
Annette Courtenage-Dennis
Trustee
Mike Hopps
Infrastructure TrusteeMike Hopps
Infrastructure TrusteeSince 2014 I have been a filming liaison Officer working on film shoots both on the railway and off site when Bluebell has been involved with major film productions. I also created and manage the filming website which showcases what Bluebell has to offer the film industry. As a Bluebell accredited photographer my photos have been used at the shop on gift items and postcards as well as in various railway publications
In my working life I was a Technology teacher and examinations officer for more than thirty years in East Sussex schools; during which time I pioneered the use of computers in school workshops for CAD, control technology and micro electronics – while still maintaining traditional craft skills. I also wrote and published software for teaching and learning in my specialist area. I have collaborated with a major UK tool supplier since 1998 and my designs have been patented.
I was elected as a trustee in 2021 and re-elected in 2024.

Roger Kelly
TrusteeRoger Kelly
TrusteeOutside of the Railway for three years I was fundraising advisor to the Heritage Railway Association. I have been a Director of a volunteer-based limited company and/or a Trustee of a Grant Giving Trust consecutively for nearly 50 years. I have been a volunteer fundraiser for 30 years.
In my working life I was a Chartered Electrical Engineer and Project Manager, where I worked mostly in IT. During my time at the BBC I was part of the team that provided the CEEFAX service and in the 1970s on Election Night replaced the mechanical Swingometer with one generated by computer graphics.

Keith Leppard
TrusteeKeith Leppard
TrusteeI returned to active volunteering in C&W in 2018, where I am now part of the team restoring the Maunsell Restaurant Car. I am also publicity officer for the SR Coach Group.
I have been a Trustee since June 2023.

James Reeves
Trustee
Howard Strongitharm
Preservation Standards TrusteeHoward Strongitharm
Preservation Standards TrusteeNow retired, in my professional life I worked in the railway industry as a Building Surveyor and Project Manager, latterly with South West Trains as their Commercial Project Manager with responsibility for tenanted units on stations.
During my time in the railway industry, I have been responsible for station buildings as a facilities manager, including at one time Waterloo Station and resident engineer on the re-roofing of Stoke-on-Trent station, plus many other similar projects around the country.

James Young
Carriage and Wagon TrusteeBluebell Railway Managers
- Chief Operating Officer – Lisa Boyle
- C&W Technical Standards and Compliance Manager – Rowan Millard
- C&W Production Manager – Giles Clifford
- Customer Service & Sales Manager – TBC
- Finance Manager – Derek Koh
- Infrastructure Manager – Matt Crawford
- Loco Works Manager – Simon Blaker
- Marketing and Communications Manager – Ruth Rowatt
- Operations Manager – Chris Knibbs
- Catering Manager – Megan Laughlin
- Retail Manager – Mark Lill
- Volunteer Coordinator – Graham Aitken
- Locomotive Superintendent – Stuart Marks
- Business Development Manager – Jon Beardmore
- Data Protection Officer – Lance Allen
BRPS Other Society Officials
- Bluebell News Editor – Colin Tyson
- Volunteer Recruitment – David Chappell
- Chaplain – The Reverend David Murdoch
- Heritage Railway Association Representative – Neil Glaskin
The Bluebell Railway Trust
- Chairman – Vernon Blackburn
- Society Governor – Colin Tyson (elected by the Society)