Not only has Jamie got a licence to drive an LNER Azuma, he also spends time on his Majesty’s service, mixing his railway role with travelling the world as an Army Reservist.
Jamie joined LNER in April 2025 as an apprentice train driver, qualifying in April this year. Before the railway, Jamie joined the Army at 18 and then moved to policing, spending ten years as a frontline response officer.
Throughout his policing career he continued his service as an Army Reserve, a commitment he has maintained up to the present day. He now serves in 165 Port & Maritime Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps as a Vehicle Specialist, a role which involves the coordination and mobilisation of some of the British Army’s most essential vehicles to the frontline: from quad bikes to challenger tanks. It’s a role that has taken him across the world, experiencing global operations and exercises, where his skills and leadership have earned him a recent promotion to Sergeant.
Speaking about his commitments Jamie said: “I do get questions about my ‘double life’ and how my two roles work together. There are a lot of transferable skills between the Armed Forces and railway, and my experience is that both jobs complement each other incredibly well. Leadership, decision-making, people skills are just a few of the many qualities that each roles requires, so one strengthens the other. I’ve also found that military and railway share the same core values and both have a love for an acronym!”
When asked if he’d recommend becoming an Army Reservist to others, Jamie said, “Absolutely. The sense of accomplishment and achievement I receive is fantastic; plus, the fact the skills and training are so complementary. I’d say the same to those in the military who may be considering a different path, the railway is a great industry to join, and you’ll find it has the same sense of camaraderie and belonging as the Armed Forces.”
The Reservist role involves a commitment to spend at least 27 days a year in the job, undergoing continuous training. Under the ‘one Army’ concept the role is integrated within the ‘full-time’ military and carries the same expectation of deployment to frontline areas.
James Downey, Finance Director and Executive Sponsor of LNER Armed Services Network Reveille, said: “The railway and the Armed Forces have a proud, long-standing connection, and at LNER we’re committed to supporting those who serve. I’m proud to be the Executive Sponsor of Reveille, our Armed Forces staff network, which plays a key role in connecting, supporting, and championing colleagues from across the business who are involved in the military community. Our Reservist colleagues bring valuable skills, discipline and leadership, and we are dedicated to creating an environment where they can thrive in both their careers and their service.”
Image credit: LNER
