Stanley Martin Remembered
01 Dec 2004
Colleagues and friends alike have paid tribute to driver Stanley Martin, who died in the Ufton Nervet level crossing accident outside Reading. In total, seven people died, among them two children.
Mr. Martin was based at Exeter St. Davids station and lived in Torquay. He joined the railway in 1965 as an engine cleaner at Tyseley in Birmingham and became a driver in 1974. He joined the Plymouth driver depot in 1991, and moved to Exeter with First Great Western in 1996.
Says ASLEF leader Keith Norman, ‘All train drivers will join with me in expressing our deepest sympathy to the family. Stan worked in our industry for near on four decades. He was an extremely experienced and professional driver and a long standing and respected member of ASLEF’.
‘We know from the on board data recording equipment that he acted correctly and did everything possible to avert this tragedy. Our thoughts are with his family and his work colleagues at Exeter St. Davids.’
Mr. Norman repeated calls to install advanced warning systems in train drivers’ cabs. ‘The technology exists to give train drivers advance warning of blockages on the track,’ he said. Alison Forster, First Great Western’s managing director said, ‘Stan will be sadly missed by everyone in the company and especially his colleagues in the South West.Our thoughts are with his family and colleagues who have worked with Stan during his long service with the company.’
Police are continuing their investigation into the crash. The driver of the car, Brian Drysdale, 48, was also killed. An off-duty police officer reported seeing the car stationary on the crossing minutes before the crash.
Anjanette Rossi and her daughter, Louella aged 9 died in the crash. Another child, Emily Webster, aged 14 from Devon also died together with Barry Strevens, 55, from Somerset and Leslie Matthews, 72, from Warminster.