Whistlestop Foundation Menangle Members Retire

Craig Fogarty

Craig started on the railways in 1981 as Apprentice Boiler Maker at the “College of Knowledge” Chullora at the age of 19. He worked between Clyde, Chullora and Eveleigh. Craig then settled down and was offered a position as a Trainee Engineman at Delec in 1989

He then worked his way through the classifications to become a Locomotive Driver.

Delec was then transferred when the new Enfield Yard opened up.

It was time to stop the daunting Sydney commute and transferred to the new Menangle Depot in November 2020.

Craig retired in 2022 giving 41years of Railway Service.

David Thompson

David started his career at Delec (Enfield) on the 21st November 1978 at the age of 15. Being too young to be out on the road (rails) he cleaned locos until 1980 when he was old enough to enter the school to become a Trainee Engineman. He progressed through to become an Acting Driver in 1984 and in 1985 took his appointment as a Level 5 Engineman on the ÉTR at Flemington.

Over the next few years, David transferred between the ETR and InterCity until 1997 when he took an appointment as a Driver Trainer at Campbelltown. David was the Union representative on the newly set up ‘Driver Training Steering Committee’, which developed and oversaw the introduction of the Driver Traineeship Programme, which was also part of the build-up for the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

In 2005 David was appointed as an Operations Standards Manager (OSM) at Central, but with his main interest being training he was asked to be involved in a number of projects which resulted in him being asked to act as the Workplace Training Manager at Lee Street and then Acting Train Crew Training Manager at Petersham until 2009 when he was successful in his appointment as Senior OSM at Central InterCity.

David saw out his career on RailCorp in the position of Depot Manager InterCity Central until 2013 when he took voluntary redundancy.

David still continued in the Rail Industry by gaining employment with CERT in August 2013, where his role was to assess Aurizon drivers between Newcastle and Narrabri.

In November 2013, David gained employment with Pacific National back at Enfield, where once again he became involved with Driver Training.

In 2020, starting to wind down David was one of the original 10 Drivers to transfer to the new depot at Menangle where he stayed until his retirement on the 21st November 2022.

David has had a long and varied career/life on the railways, of which his interest will undoubtedly continue with his son, Adam being a Driver at Pacific National - Parkes and his son-in-law Steven being a Driver at Pacific National - Menangle.

David retired on 21st November 2022 after exactly 44 years on the railways.