Chiltern Railways chairman to step down

THE chairman of Chiltern Railways, Adrian Shooter, has announced he is to step down at the end of the year.

Mr Shooter, who has led the rail company for almost 18 years, will also be retiring from parent group DB Regio.

He said: “I have enjoyed every part of my 41 years in the rail industry but especially the opportunity to lead the teams who built Chiltern Railways.

“It is always difficult to decide when to move on but, having for the last three years also been acting MD of Chiltern, I have now handed that role to Rob Brighouse who I appointed earlier in the year.  

“He will lead a very strong team to further successes, the first of which will be the new much faster Chiltern Mainline service between Birmingham and London. We will launch this together.”

Mr Shooter said he would continue to take an active part in the rail industry.  In addition, he will be taking on the role of chairman of the CBI West Midlands Council for 2012 and 2013. He is the current vice chairman.

Mr Shooter is a motoring enthusiast and last year, with wife Barbara as co-driver, drove an 80-year-old Ford Model T in the 10,000 mile Peking to Paris Rally , keeping a blog of his progress.

Further adventures could well form part of his retirement plans.