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- Michael is also a station master at Spa Valley Railway.
You’re a station master at Spa Valley Railway
in Tunbridge Wells – how does that tie in with
your role as GTO?
My duties as station master involve the opening and
closing of the station to the public, overseeing the
departure and arrival of trains, plus safety of the public
while at the station. My interest in railways started with
railway preservation in 1977, when I was working on the
Kent and East Sussex Railway. I have now been at the Spa
Valley Railway in Tunbridge Wells since 2003.
I often get asked by visitors to the railway, what facilities it
can provide for groups. I explain that we can offer pre-
booked discounts for groups of 20 plus and we can provide
food on the train or in our static buffet. So not only do
I organise travel myself, but I feel I am able to give back
something to other group organisers and aid them with
any trips they have to the railway.
What type of trips do you like to organise
for your group?
A lot of our trips, as you can imagine, tie in with railways
as it is a passion of mine and my members, but we are not
limited to this.
Places we like to visit include Faversham, Rochester and
the National Railway Museum in York. I tend to organise
most of our trips to take place between February and the
end of October.
Do you find familiarisations trips useful for your role as
an organiser?
I went to The Shard and Shakespeare’s Globe Reader Club
trip last year which was very useful as it meant I was then
able to go away and tell members of my group what is on
offer. The Globe was a personal highlight of the trip because
we learnt so much history. I try to go on as many Reader
Club trips as I can, so I can give feedback to my group as
well as give advice to others.As a group travel organiser, what is the biggest
challenge that you face?Trying to come up with fresh, new ideas for places to visit.
Although I enjoy the places we have been to in the past, it’s
always good to be able to offer your group something new.What advice would you give to other GTOs?My best advice to other group organisers would be to try to
provide a good mix of visits rather than repeating the same
trips each year and not to always stick to the same themes.What is the most rewarding part of your role as GTO?When the members thank you for your efforts. It’s not
always the easiest, so to feel appreciated, like you’ve done a
good job in providing a nice trip, is always a
great feeling.If I could go anywhere, I’d...
...travel on the Jacobite steam train between
Fort William and Mallaig.What recent trips have you been on with your group?
In the last year we have been to the Cutty Sark, the
National Maritime Museum plus the Royal Observatory in
Greenwich. We have also been to various preserved railway
galas, including the Spa Valley Railway’s Beer Festival and
Diesel Gala which took place last October.
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My Group & I