Steve Davies, MBE, joins board of Trustees of the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust.

The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust is delighted to announce that Steve Davies MBE has been appointed to its Board of Trustees.

A former Colonel in the British Army, Steve has been a lifelong railway enthusiast, and is involved in a significant number of heritage railway projects both on a professional and voluntary basis. His Army career saw him serve in a wide variety of countries, many on operations. He rose to become the Commanding Officer of his Regiment.

Steve enjoyed two tours in the Ministry of Defence in London engaged at the military/political strategic level, and his final military appointment was as Chief of Staff of a Division with responsibility for military planning across almost half of the UK. It was whilst on secondment to the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces that he exercised his personal initiative to create the Country’s National Railway Museum, in close cooperation with His Excellency President Kabbah, which continues to thrive today and with which he remains closely associated as President of the British charity The Friends of The Sierra Leone National Railway Museum.

On retirement from the Army, Steve subsequently served as Director of the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester – site of the world’s oldest surviving railway terminus (circa 1830) – then as Director of the National Railway Museum in York, during which time he devised, negotiated and implemented the repatriation of class A4 Pacifics No. 60008 Dwight D. Eisenhower and No. 4489 Dominion of Canada  from North America to take part in an Award-winning exhibition marking the 75^th anniversary of No. 4468 Mallard achieving the World Record for Steam Traction of 126 mph.

Steve, who lives in North Yorkshire, is the Founder and Managing Director of The International Railway Heritage Consultancy Limited which provides a one-stop-shop for railway heritage organisations internationally, in order that they might access the skills they need to support their respective operations.  Amongst its many projects, Steve’s company is supporting - Pro Bono – the extension of the Bala Lake Railway, and was heavily involved in planning and delivering a Channel 4 TV programme focusing on carriage restoration.  He has also just returned from an advisory visit to Nigeria to report on improving the Railway Museum in Lagos, including an assessment of the potential to return British-built ‘River Class’ 2-8-2s to working order for main line use.  Steve also recently visited DB Meiningen as a member of the team negotiating the purchase of two new boilers for The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust.

Commenting on his appointment, Steve said, “It’s a great honour be joining the Board of The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust. I’ve worked closely with the organisation for many years and was delighted to welcome Their Royal Highnesses, The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall on board The Royal Train to the Museum of Science & Industry in Manchester, hauled by Tornado, on my final day as Director. I look forward to working with the other Trustees, Staff, Volunteers and Supporters to deliver on the Trust’s promises – keeping No. 60163 Tornado operating successfully on the main line, completing the construction of No. 2007 Prince of Wales, starting work on Gresley class V4 No. 3403, and expanding the Trust’s base in Darlington.  I have always been attracted to exciting, ambitious and very professionally delivered projects and organisations, and in that respect,  I know I am going to feel very much at home with The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust.”

The Board of Trustees, The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, added, “We are delighted to welcome Steve Davies MBE as a Trustee. Steve is an internationally recognised and respected leader in the world of heritage railways and we are honoured that he has agreed to serve as a Trustee of The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust. Steve’s vast knowledge and experience will help us to continue to transform our organisation as we move towards the completion and operation of our second new main line steam locomotive, the commencement of the project to build our third, and the development of our facilities in Darlington.”