Girish drives into retirement after clocking up 50 years on railway

• Avanti West Coast driver trainer and assessor, Girish Jani retires after half a century  
• Girish joined the railway in 1974 following in his brothers’ footsteps
• Colleagues celebrated his 50-year career after he drove his final train on west coast

An Avanti West Coast driver has completed the last service of his working life marking the end of his 50-year career on the railway.

Driver Trainer and Assessor, Girish Jani, 67, who lives in Wembley, took to the controls of a Pendolino train for one last time on a journey from Crewe to London Euston before his retirement.

The starting location and destination of his final train journey as a driver were pertinent as they have been two key places in his railway career. He clocked up many decades of his service at Euston, while Crewe is one of Avanti West Coast’s Driver Training Centres where he has been based for the last 18 months.

Fondly known as ‘Jani’ by colleagues, Girish joined the railway in September 1974 aged 17 and nine months - when ‘Love Me for a Reason’ by The Osmonds was top of the UK’s charts and Harold Wilson was Prime Minister.

He followed in the footsteps of his brothers, with one working as a train driver at London Underground for over 35 years, while the other worked for British Rail for 22 years.

Straight after leaving school, Jani began his career as a secondman (a train driver’s assistant) at Stonebridge Park – a freight depot in Wembley. He progressed to a driver. Back then there was very little technology, no mobile phones and safety rules did not require hi-vis jackets to be worn on tracks.

A few years later, Jani began driving passenger services based out of London Euston. There he progressed to a mentor, instructor, and Deputy Driver Team Manager. Jani then became a Driver Team Manager – a role he held for over 30 years, which involved supporting train drivers based out of Euston.

For the last 18 months, Jani has been training the next generation of Avanti West Coast drivers in his role as Driver Trainer and Assessor at centres including Polmadie, Carlisle, Crewe and London Euston.

He has helped train drivers on Avanti’s fleet, as well as imparting his knowledge and experience to trainees who are new to the role.

Outside of the railway, Jani is a magistrate in London – a role he has been doing for 18 years, as he wanted to support and work with the community to make a difference. He said his roles on the railway and as a magistrate require similar skills including taking on responsibility, attention to detail, and good communication.

Throughout his five decades on the railway, Jani has made some fond memories – from driving different types of traction, to feeling part of the railway family and learning new skills. 

Avanti West Coast colleagues from the Driver Training Centre gave Jani a send-off at Crewe station before they travelled as passengers on his last train to London.

As the Pendolino Jani was driving pulled into Euston station, it was greeted with cheers and applause from colleagues past and present who had come to celebrate his achievement and say goodbye.

“The West Coast Main Line has been my home for over half a century. It is a unique railway, and its people have always been so kind to me. I’ve learned so much since my early days in freight and been able share experiences with some fantastic people, as well as drive the Pendolino train, which in my opinion is a brilliant machine!” said Jani.

Reflecting on his time on the railway, he said: “I feel truly proud and privileged to have clocked up 50 years’ service. It only feels like yesterday I started on my railway journey. I will miss the people, driving trains and playing my part in supporting the next generation of train drivers - I look forward to travelling on their trains one day. I’m excited to start a new chapter where I’ll get to look at my bucket list for travel, continue my magistrate duties and spend quality time with my family.”

Craig Fletcher, Deputy Head of Drivers at Avanti West Coast, said: “Working with Jani was invaluable when I joined Euston depot. Jani’s relations and the connections he built with people over the years is testament to his personable approach. He has a unique charisma and charm - sometimes playfully cheeky that makes him memorable and a valuable leader. As one of the longest serving Driver Managers at London Euston, Jani’s motivation was the success of the driver function at the depot. He always had a willingness to go above and beyond for those he worked with.”

ENDS