Train driver with 50 years’ service on the railway recognised by colleagues in Greater Manchester

Mike Hughes, known to everyone as ‘Sparky’, is a driver at Northern’s TrainCare Centre in Newton Heath.

On the anniversary of his fifth decade working in the rail industry (Thursday, 10 October), he was invited to attend the opening of a new garden at the depot – only to find it was called ‘Sparky’s Peace and Development Garden’ in tribute to his long service.

Neville Dyson, TrainCare Centre manager at Newton Heath, said: “Mike is something of a legend on the depot. He’s been working on the railway since before most of his colleagues were born.

“When we were putting the finishing touches to the new garden, we couldn’t think of a better person to dedicate the space to.”

Commenting on the surprise, Mike said: "I would like to thank my friends and colleagues at Newton Heath. It was completely unexpected and a huge surprise.

"To have a garden named after me is something I shall always remember and the commemorative plaque will be on my mantlepiece to remind me of my life on the railway."

Mike joined British Rail working at Bolton station in October 1974. In 1979, he moved to Manchester Victoria as a ‘shunter’ moving trains about the station before joining the team at Cheetham Hill in the same role for the next nine years.

In 1989, he moved to Red Bank Sidings, first as a driver and then as the ‘chargeman’ overseeing all train movements on the site. In 2003, he moved to Newton Heath as a driver and has been in that role for over 20 years.

The first train maintenance facility opened at Newton Heath in 1876. In 2020, Northern completed a £20m revamp to significantly increase the maintenance capability of the TrainCare Centre.

Since 2022, it has been the home of Northern’s Intelligent Trains programme, a project to make journeys by rail safer and more efficient.

Last year, the team at Newton Heath received an industry ‘Silver Spanner’ award in recognition of their work on the Class 195 fleet.

Northern is the second largest train operator in the UK, with 2,500 services a day to more than 500 stations across the North of England.