An army veteran with a passion for the environment and restoring classic motorbikes has joined the team at an East Midlands rail maintenance firm.
Ed Wakeford is the new project manager at MTMS, based in Moira, near Swadlincote, as he takes charge of managing its operations at the Craigentinny Train Maintenance Centre, near Edinburgh in Scotland.
This depot, which is operated by Hitachi Rail, is vital for maintaining trains from many locations in Scotland and from the north of England and is the biggest depot of its kind north of the border.
Ed’s role at Craigentinny will include overseeing the work at the depot, communicating with suppliers and manufacturers and liaising with clients.
The 43-year-old said he was looking for a new challenge when he joined MTMS, but it was the team that sealed the deal for him.
Ed said: “I love it here as it’s such a nice group of people and this will always be a top priority for me. It is hard being new, but I enjoy going into work and I feel well supported as well as being able to support everyone else.
“It’s always changing and there’s always something new to pick up. The team has also made me feel very welcome, which is always important when you’re just starting out.”
Ed, who is originally from West Sussex but now lives in Derbyshire, served in the Princess of Wales Royal Regiment for five years where he spent time in Germany, did tours of Afghanistan and trained in Canada and Africa.
Since leaving the Army, he has also worked on a new-build housing project, creating open spaces and play areas before joining MTMS.
Ed, who is also the company’s Armed Forces champion, said: “The Army taught me to adapt to any scenario as you will be given information and misinformation so it’s about sifting through it in a logical way to sort it out.
“I found it quite easy to adapt after leaving the Army. It can be difficult to start off with but there are lots of elements from being in the Army that prepare you. I’m used to being stuck in the middle of nowhere and all you have is what you’ve got in front of you.”
Outside of work, Ed’s big passion is restoring and riding classic motorbikes from the pre-1960s, gardening and nature.
He can drive everything up to an HGV but has plans in the pipeline to get his pilot’s licence after this was previously scuppered by COVID.
MTMS currently services and maintains rolling stock and specialist equipment, as well as carrying abroad range of infrastructure projects, at more than a half of the UK’s rail depots, with its central location helping it to serve customers as far afield as Penzance and Aberdeen.
