Ian started at Hungerford station November 1955 as a lad porter, gaining promotion to porter, then leading porter. He moved to Bedwyn as a class 4 signalman in 1957, got married in 1960 and moved to Newbury West as a class 3 signalman. Ian became a relief signalman in November 1971 - on the day Hungerford box got flattened by a derailed stone train. In January 1978 he moved to Slough panel, moving to Reading panel in November 1979. Ian gained promotion to Panel Supervisor around1989, finally finished his railway career as a Shift Performance Manager in May 1999 - a grand total of 43 and a half years.