Rail Transition - Stuart Darney

I served in the REME for 7 years from 2003 to 2010. I left as an Aircraft Technician – Class 1, with postings to 1 AAC in Germany and 32 Regt RA in Larkhill. I worked on a range of aircraft from Lynx and Gazelle through to Phoenix and Hermes 450 UAV systems, having served on Telic 8 and 12 and Herrick 12. I also had a short posting to 29 Flight BATUS in Canada to service aircraft during the winter off-season.

When I decided to leave the Forces, I was determined to pursue project management in aviation as my next career step. I had secured a two-week PM training course with Marshall Aerospace, but it fell through at the last minute. That really threw me — I thought it was my ‘in’. With only a few months left to serve, and still deployed in Afghanistan, I suddenly had to reconsider all options.

As soon as I returned to the UK, I began applying for local engineering roles and came across an advert for an Engineer Surveyor in engineering insurance. Working from home, company car, managing my own diary — it sounded ideal. And initially, I felt I had landed on my feet.

However, it soon became clear that it wasn’t the right fit. After six months shadowing a senior engineer, I was out on the road alone across Essex most days. Whilst I can work independently, I missed the team dynamic and camaraderie that had been central to military life. Around that time, I saw an opportunity as a Field Service Representative for a UAV company building the Watchkeeper drone.

Again, I thought this was the role I needed. But constant travel between Essex and Wales, combined with a new-born baby at home, made it unsustainable for family life. That was when I began to consider rail.

Initially, I saw rail as a stop-gap — something stable, reasonably paid, and close to home. I viewed it as a small step backwards, a return to the tools. But I was willing to reset.

What I realised quickly about rail was:

1. The environment – It felt familiar. The focus on availability and reliability in maintenance depots reminded me of aviation hangars. There was clarity of purpose and a shared mission.

2. The people – Continental shift patterns meant you built real bonds with your team. Night shifts especially recreated that sense of camaraderie I had missed.

3. The military connection – I regularly bumped into veterans. Even when we hadn’t served together, there was usually a mutual contact within minutes.

I enjoyed being back on the tools, but I wanted to move into broader engineering roles and away from shift work. I joined Eurostar as a Technical Point of Contact and left four years later as a Senior Engineer.

Throughout my career, I have been proactive with my professional development. I achieved EngTech with the IMechE in my first civilian role and later IEng, and ultimately becoming a Chartered Engineer.

I then moved to Porterbrook, a Rolling Stock Leasing Company (ROSCO), as a Fleet Engineer managing a fleet of around 300 trains leased to customers. I became involved in major projects, including a £10M Driver Only Operation (DOO) system upgrade and later a £100M complex fleet modification programme, which I eventually took over as Project Manager following promotion.

This was the point where everything aligned. Project management felt like the path I had originally set out to pursue when leaving the military. It was less about ‘doing’ and more about coordination, communication and accountability — ensuring documentation was controlled, suppliers were aligned to milestones, and customers’ expectations were managed. It suited my experience and mindset.

Whilst at Porterbrook, I was asked to support an HR event called Military is Good for Rail. That led to supporting the Armed Forces Covenant Silver accreditation and being appointed Armed Forces Champion for the organisation. I became the internal point of contact for Armed Forces engagement, supported recruitment of veterans, and represented the company at industry events.

I also brought together a small network of veterans across the rail industry, arranging informal meet-ups at events such as Rolling Stock Networking and Rail Live.

From that idea, Forces in Rail was born.

My belief was simple: most people leaving the Forces already have a direction in mind. If we can plant the seed earlier — before they decide — rail can become a primary option rather than an afterthought.

Since then, the LinkedIn group has grown steadily, and a long-standing ambition of mine — hosting a dedicated Armed Forces table at the IMechE Railway Division Annual Luncheon — is now becoming reality in 2026. The table will bring together serving personnel, veterans and industry leaders to showcase rail as a credible, rewarding career path.

Forces In Rail Table at the IMechE Railway Division Annual Luncheon

I have since moved to Hitachi Rail as an Applications Project Engineering Manager, leading the delivery of condition monitoring equipment onto operational train fleets. My role focuses on getting our systems successfully installed and integrated, enabling customers to use the data to improve performance and reliability.

Rail was never part of my original plan. Yet it has given me progression, professional recognition and, importantly, the opportunity to help others navigate the same transition. What began as a stop-gap became a long-term career and a leadership platform.

If you’re serving and considering your next chapter, rail deserves serious attention. And if you’re in industry, I’d challenge you to look again at the depth of capability within the Armed Forces community. The alignment is stronger than many realise.

I’ve been where you are now. Leaving the forces or changing career can feel daunting, and I know what it’s like to face that steep learning curve without the right guidance.

That’s why I built Introduction to Rolling Stock. It’s the course I wish I’d had when I left the RAF, designed to give you the head start I never had.

Learn at your own pace, on any device, and build the confidence to take that important first step into rail.

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