Mr Valentine takes a moment out from walking around umpteen trains.Following a period of some uncertainty the was created when Network Rail announced that it was making substantial cuts into the workbanks, AmeyColas annuonced the need for a raft of redundancies across the companies.
After some deliberation with the Union, a voluntary redundancy package eventually emerged, far from perfect but it was unlikely to be improved upon. Member's had indicated in a ballot that they were prepared to take limited action, thus tying the hands of the Union and limiting the pressure that they could apply. What emerged was far from perfect, it has some glaring faults, but for some it is also far superior to what they could have expected.
For Ex-BR/Jarvis staff it is 75% of the BR redundancy matrix,for others it's £1,000 for each year of service up to a maximum of 20 years. It's generated mixed interest, attracting a modicum of interest. In some depots, it sounds like it has attracted the desired numbers of interested individuals, while in others it short of the mark.
Two of those that showed an interest in the voluntary option were Steve Valentine and Mark Styles, two engineering supervisors at the Bletchley depot.
Mr Valentine a veteran from BR days with over 30 years of service to the railway. A fine fellow who is liked by pretty much everyone. Somewhat outspoken at times for managements liking, he's been around long enough to have seen most everything that there is to see, he's been dumped on enough times over the years to sour his opinion of management on a permanent basis. He doesn't mince his words, he calls a spade a spade, and says it as he sees it, which does alarm some. Others see it for the true down to earth "honesty" that Steve epitomises, and admire him for that.
Former colleague Mr Ferguson pictured in a lighter moment with Mr Styles.While Mr Styles is perhaps a bit less frank speaking, especially when members of the management are around. A trait that is perhaps prudent at times, to stay quite and bite ones tongue.
Both have worked hard, and both have been dumped on time and time again over the years. And both have become disheartened with the way things are going in the company and the industry in general.
As a result both have elected to take the voluntary option, collecting a bit of a wegde and going as soon as possible.
For Mr Valentine, the future's a tad uncertain. It's unlikely he'll get another job in a similar line to what he's doing in now in the industry. But he has a few iron's in the fire, hopefully one of them will work out for him.
Mr Styles has an advantage that age is more on his side, but the job situation is equally dire and opportunities are slim.
Those that know them will wish them luck when they do go at the end of this week, and a good few will be sorry to see them go. Many have worked with them for a good few years, and have come to consider them as friends, not just work colleagues.
They mark the continuation of a process that has gone on unabated since 1997, staff from BR day's are disappearing leaving in the industry only those who have no recollection of a nationalised railway or the benefits that it brings. When the last member of staff goes who has that experience, it will be an end of an era. And it will be a loss to the country.
They are the visble damage caused by a system that believe's that the persuit of profit above all else as the only way to go, and that it will solve every single problem that exist's in the world, now and in the future.
All we know is that we wish them luck in the future, whatever that may hold for them.
Mr Valentine doing what he liked to do after a busy day, stop at a greasey pitstop.
