Island Life Magazine Ltd December 2010/January 2011 | Page 65

interview

Island Life - December 2010

Kevin on track for
job of a lifetime
WORDS - PETER WHITE
Kevin Colley is not quite sure where his
fascination for steam trains came from.
Maybe it was something to do with

“I have always had this great

That had to be on the agenda, and was

fascination for steam locomotives

far better than sitting on the beach,”

ever since I was very young,” said the

he said. “I actually have a photograph

the fact on the very day Kevin was

23-year-old, who lives in Ryde. “This

of myself as a four-year-old visiting

born, his father went out and bought

was the job I always wanted to do.

the Steam Railway at Havenstreet, and

him a Hornby Thomas the Tank Engine

None of my family ever worked on the

standing next to the engine ‘Invincible’

set, which he still has.

railways, so I don’t know where I got it

although I cannot remember being

from, but it just makes me who I am.

here.”

All he does know is that his passion
has never wavered, one of the reasons

“I built my own model railway when I

After leaving school Kevin wrote to

why he perhaps feels he now holds

was a kid, and I think it was inevitable

virtually every steam railway company

down what can only be termed his

that one day I would end up working

in the country, asking if there was any

dream job.

with steam trains, either as a volunteer

paid work, and received the positive

or paid staff, and this opportunity arose

response from the IW Steam Railway.

Kevin is a rare breed who is carrying
out an apprenticeship working on trains
at the Isle of Wight Steam Railway

at the right time.”
Before arriving on the Island Kevin had

“Essentially the job entails ensuring
everything is maintained to the right

at Havenstreet. Born and raised at

spent a number of years as a volunteer

standard, and keeping it going for the

Stockport, near Manchester, he moved

worker at the East Lancashire Railway,

future. Plenty of oil, plenty of grease –

to the Island just over two years ago to

close to where he lived. And he recalls

the dirtier the better,” he smiled. “Just

begin his apprenticeship, and is now

that whenever there was a steam

working on the engines you become

well into his final year.

railway gala within travelling distance

involved in the heritage and history of

of home, he would nag his parents into

them, because if you are working on

taking him.

something you want to know all about

He is one of only a handful of people
who have been given the opportunity
to serve an apprenticeship at the Steam

“In fact we went all over the country,

Railway, carrying out his duties on the

and even when we went on holiday I

engines and rolling stock that trundled

would find out if there was a steam

around the Island u