(Image: Transpennine Express)
A station manager who began his career in North Yorkshire is retiring after 32 years of service on the railway.
Mike Drewery, who has spent two decades with TransPennine Express (TPE), managed teams at Middlesbrough, Northallerton, Thirsk, and Thornaby stations.
A lifelong resident of the villages around Whitby and the North York Moors, Mr Drewery began his railway career as a guard on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.
For more than 12 years, he progressed to traincrew inspector, helping introduce standards for mainline services to Whitby and managed filming projects, including TV soap Heartbeat and Harry Potter.
Alongside his railway work, he served as an on-call firefighter and became officer in charge at Goathland Fire Station.
Mr Drewery said: "The railway is ultimately about people.
"I’ve been blessed with wonderful colleagues across the North East.
"They care deeply about their stations and communities, and I’ll miss them immensely.
"I’ll always be proud to have been based at Middlesbrough.
"The staff are one big team of passionate railway professionals."
He went on to join TPE as a customer service supervisor in Northallerton’s booking office before becoming station team leader at Middlesbrough.
A 12-month stint covering the station manager role grew into a career managing stations across the North East, including York, Malton, Seamer, and Scarborough.
Mr Drewery is now planning to spend his retirement exploring the UK’s inland waterways on a narrowboat.
He said: "A part of me will always be a station manager, but retiring feels right.
"I’m looking forward to remote moorings and a back-to-basics life."
Andrew McClements, customer experience and transformation director at TPE, said: "Mike’s warmth, experience and dedication have made a lasting difference to colleagues and communities across the North East.
"He can be incredibly proud of his contribution to the railway."