“A train doesn't get from Euston to Manchester without everyone doing their bit.”

Avanti West Coast’s Performance Manager, Chris Jeal looks back on his illustrious career on the West Coast Main Line as he prepares to swap track and trains for his running shoes.

30 January 2025

I have always been interested in the railway, and I was keen to start my career in that direction. I have been fortunate to have enjoyed an incredible 40 years on the railway, working with some quite brilliant people.

Over time I have grown such an affinity to the West Coast route. It is such a complex railway with so many trains running on it every day, and it is very valuable to our country’s economy given the cities and places it connects.

I am a firm believer in building strong relationships in the workplace, and that is why I love the railway. We all have to work together to ensure we run the best train service we can, because a train doesn't get from Euston to Manchester without everyone doing their bit and also being impassioned to do well

My career started at Euston station answering customer telephone enquiries, before progressing into the ticket office, then the mini-control room as an Engine Arranger and eventually Duty Station Manager.

A particular memory of my time of Euston was during the May Day riots in 2000 where a police van was set on fire outside of the station. This was a scary experience for my team and I, and my first reaction as Duty Station Manager was to look out for everyone and manage their welfare.

In 2004, I got involved in planning for the West Coast Route Modernisation where Network Rail was upgrading the line through a programme of extensive engineering works. My role was about figuring out what we do with customers the whole rail operation to allow to continue their journey when the line was closed, whether it be on road transport or alternative routes, and then being there on the day to deliver the project.

From that role I moved on to Performance which I have been doing for some time now. My job is to support the front-line teams to manage their delays and look for trends so we can work with both Network Rail and other operators to improve the railway for our customers. I currently do this for the northern part of our network beyond Warrington as well as the business’ driver management team.

As I look forward to retirement, I am excited about having more time to get my running shoes back on, which is something I’m passionate about. I have run the London Marathon in the past and want to get back up to being able to do long distance events again.

I am thankful for the fantastic memories I have made from working with many great people on this iconic route. I definitely won’t be a stranger though, and I am sure my colleagues will spot me travelling up and down the route over the years to come.