Darren Oliver

Background

About Darren Oliver

Having worked for the railway industry for my 19th year I have undertaken and led if not all but near enough all works surrounding Maintenance & Inspections, I first joined the railway under Amec in 2003 as a track operative and since then I have tried and enjoyed in absorbing all there is to know regards the maintaining of the railway in the safest and efficient way. I started as a 21 year old with no experience of the railway other than using the then silverlink train between custom House & Stratford to go shopping. I did 5 days at West Horndon completed my PTS training before spending a further 3 weeks in Purley where I completed my Track Induction. I was allocated to Camden P-way in a time when the railway industry was completely different to present day, a small blue book that was filled out and gave us option to work anywhere across the rail Network between North Woolwich & Richmond in only a Orange Vest, surrounded by 14 members of staff, 1 Ganger, 2 sub Gangers & 11 Trackman. I learned as much as I could from the old school Railway guys I was lucky enough to be around on a regular basis gaining knowledge as well as attending courses to enhance my competencies. I worked nights, Days midweek & weekends.Between 2003 & 2011 I was a trackman that acted sub-ganger regluar to even extending to me acting Ganger so when the opportunity came around for a available Ganger post at Camden I applied and was successful. I was now a 29 year old Ganger officially by grade and had the opportunity to put my mark on things and use all I had learned from the guys before me in a railway industry that had changed over the 10 years. Full PPE along with a SSOWPS, the vest and blue book was out of here. I spent 5 years as a now Team Leader as per the Ganger title held by previous railway Maintenance Staff 2011-2016. It was during this time I got to dabble in the role of supervisor which for me is where I wanted to be long term.Understanding the role was a lot different to that of a team leader it wasn't just get given the work go out do it then go home, it showed me the planning behind it all the beginning the during and the after followed by the after. Long term fixes as per the short term fixes I was so used to taking part in,the importance of productivity & Complience had just gone up ten fold. Inspecting or maintaining as a supervisor had a whole new feel and again I was hooked and was lucky enough to be able to apply for a role available at my place of work Camden as Section Supervisor. In 2016 I was successful. the story continues.