It is with pleasure that I can announce that we have unanimously co-opted Derrick Bilsby to the Board of Colonel Stephens Railway Enterprises.
Derrick will bring a wealth of experience to the wider Board and has already demonstrated his commitment to our Railway over very many years. He will already be known to many working members, but introduces himself in his own words below:
"I am a career railwayman with 52 years' experience in the rail and transport sector, during which time I worked as a controller at both divisional and regional levels at British Railways. I worked with the Department for Transport to help set up Joint Venture Companies to own strategic railway IT systems at rail privatisation, before becoming head of information systems at Connex.
I left the railway family to set up ITAL Group with other investors 20 years ago and have built it into a successful company providing revenue protection systems and services. My team have also developed mission critical systems for the real-time management of rolling stock and traincrews.
I have been involved with the Kent & East Sussex Railway since about 1968 when I first rode into Rolvenden Yard on my bicycle as a young lad still at school. In the early 1970s I became the Railway’s first traffic co-ordinator and by the late 1970s I took on the role of Permanent Way Manager. During this period, I was responsible for sorting out various track problems.
Between 1976 and 1983 I was involved in developing events which included the very successful Steam and Country Fairs. I was instrumental in running the then Wine & Dine as the Wealden Pullman for the first time.
I was one of the original directors of Rother Valley Railway East Sussex Limited, which was originally set up to secure the route between Bodiam and Robertsbridge. To launch our bid to secure the route I was instrumental in arranging with Network SouthEast for 73126 being named Kent & East Sussex Railway at Northiam.
I had a period when I was not an active volunteer while my family were growing up. I was invited to return to become a member of the Fundraising Working Group just before the pandemic. I have been the lead in arranging the '20 for 20 Appeal' to secure funds for the restoration and conservation of the GWR Diesel Railcar W20W.
I hope I can bring the skills I have learnt during my long career to help lead and guide the Kent & East Sussex Railway through these difficult and challenging times".
We look forward to working with Derrick at Board level.
Simon Marsh
Chairman
