Tributes to founder of Chiltern Railways line
TRIBUTES have flooded in following the death of railway pioneer and the founder of Chiltern Railways Adrian Shooter.
Mr Shooter is famed for launching the operator in the 1990s which still exists today, connecting Birmingham, Solihull, Warwickshire and Oxfordshire with London Marylebone.
He died on December 13 at the age of 74 after revealing last year that he had been diagnosed with motor neurone disease.
Mr Shooter was an engineer by trade and began his career with British Rail in 1970, leading maintenance depots, managing London St Pancras and holding various other senior positions within the industry.
He led the creation of Chiltern Railways as it started operating the Chiltern franchise in 1996 and worked as both its managing director and chairman following the Government’s programme of privatisation.
Mr Shooter later chaired London Overground, Tyne & Wear Metro, DB Regio UK (later known as Arriva Rail), Laing Rail and the West Midlands CBI Council among other bodies.
After retiring from Chiltern Railways, he set up green rail transport company Vivarail in Warwickshire in 2012 to develop sustainable, batterypowered trains and introduced the UK’s first diesel/battery hybrids in North Wales.
In 2010, he was awarded a CBE for his contribution to the rail industry and was a fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, Institution of Mechanical Engineers and Chartered Institute of Transport.
In August, a bronze statue of him was unveiled at London Marylebone and a train was named in his honour.
The diesel train number 168 001 was the first purchased by Chiltern as a private sector operator and also the first ordered by any of the private operators after privatisation in the mid-1990s.
He said at the time: “I feel very honoured to be recognised by the industry in this way.
“However, I accept this honour only on the condition that it recognises the amazing efforts of the hundreds of railway men and women who I have worked with.
“All I ever did was create the vision, hire the very best people and then help them to do their best.
“They, not me, were the people who delighted our passengers.”
One of his other industry roles was with Birmingham-based project management firm SLC Rail who appointed him as its chairman in 2015, a role he performed until his death.
Managing director Ian Walters said: “I am deeply saddened by the passing of this great man.
“I met Adrian on my first day working in the rail industry in November 1991 and I feel lucky and honoured to have had his mentorship and friendship since then.
“As chairman of SLC Rail, we have benefited from Adrian’s leadership, wisdom and experience and focus on what worked for passengers as we’ve grown as a business.
“It has been a privilege to have him as part of the SLC team for so many years.
“It is no exaggeration that his involvement and advocacy has been fundamental to our success and our work will continue his unrivalled legacy.
“Our thoughts and condolences are with his family during this extremely sad time.”
Chiltern Railways managing director Richard Allan added: “We are deeply sorry to hear about the death of Adrian.
“We and our customers owe him an enormous debt of gratitude for the vision, drive and passion that he and his team brought to bear in creating and developing Chiltern from 1996 onwards.
“Adrian was a leader, a colleague and a friend to many current and former colleagues at Chiltern and in the wider railway industry.
“It was only a few months ago that a group of industry colleagues were delighted to welcome Adrian to Marylebone to commemorate his immense contribution to Chiltern and the rail industry over his 50-year career. The thoughts of everyone at Chiltern are with Adrian’s family at this very sad time.”