Brought up in Birmingham, Chris joined the Air Force when he was 18. After 10 years in the RAF Chris left to follow his dream and work on heritage railways at the Talyllyn Railway in North Wales. As a trained RAF fitter he naturally joined the workshop team and later became the workshop supervisor.

10 years later the opportunity to run his own railway was presented to him and he left the Talyllyn to run a little railway by the sea at Fairbourne. Whilst only a little railway the Fairbourne was the place Chris learnt the daily challenges associated with tourist railways. However after 10 years the need to test himself at a higher level was a driving factor that lead to Chris moving on to work outside the heritage railway world for the Workers Education Association (WEA), in North Wales, as their estates manager. Chris later became the project manager of a merger with the corresponding institution in South Wales.

The Talyllyn then presented Chris with the opportunity to return as their General Manager to oversee a period of change, seen as needed by the board. After just over two years the opportunity to manage the NYMR was too big a draw to resist. With much happiness, tinged with a little regret, this opportunity was enthusiastically taken in 2015.

Chris is immensely proud and humbled to have the privilege to lead a fantastic team of dedicated volunteers and staff at the NYMR and feels that their hard work assures a bright future for the railway. He lives in Pickering with his wife Alison, who is a Macmillan Nurse in Scarborough, and has two grown up children who both live and work in Bristol. His hobbies include motorcycling and watching his Football team; when he gets the time.

Earlier this year, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) awarded NYMR £4.6M as part of the £9.2M Sustainability Project, NYMR's Yorkshire's Magnificent Journey Appeal. To help preserve the heritage line for future generations, the NYMR urgently needs to raise approx. £2.5M from members, passengers and the public over the next five years. We need your help! Please donate nymr.co.uk/YMJ