2002-02-01 Business boom (Hull Trains)

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date 6 May 2003
source Hull Trains
type Press release

Hull Trains has appointed senior railway professional, Mark Leving, as its new full time and Hull-based managing director.

Mr Leving, 44, comes to Hull Trains with nearly 25 years experience in the industry, and takes over from Jim Morgan of parent company, GB Railways, who has been the Hull Trains managing director on a part time basis. Mr Morgan remains at GB Railways to concentrate on the company's franchise bids.

Mr Leving has been appointed to take the Hull Trains team through a period of strategic change with the company negotiating for more services and introducing two tranches of new trains over the next three years. Mr Leving joins the company from Network Rail where he held a senior appointment as an account executive, working with the major train operators, including Hull Trains; he is no stranger to the company or the route it operates.

Commenting on the appointment Jim Morgan said, "I am delighted that Mark Leving has come to join us. He is vastly experienced in the railway, and the fact that he knows us and the Hull to London route so intimately, is an added bonus. At the same time though, this means I'm moving on, and I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the fantastic staff at Hull Trains - it's through their unstinting commitment that we enjoy such a good reputation. I would also like to thank the people of Hull, whose support and custom is the mainstay of the business. I hope that they would agree with me that they now have a train service worthy of the City."

Mr Leving, who will take over the helm in early June, said, "I feel very privileged to have been asked to take on this role - without doubt, it is the best moment of my railway career. Hull Trains enjoys an unrivalled reputation for customer service thanks to its dedicated staff and I'm looking forward to working with them as we take the company into this exciting new era. I also know how important Hull Trains is to the City - so much has been achieved in the last three years and my aim is to continue to improve the rail services currently enjoyed by both the business and leisure markets."

Explaining the role of the new managing director, Mr Morgan added, "Mark's main task will be to steer the company through the coming years as it increases the number of services it offers and introduces the new trains. The increasing demands of the role means that a full-time MD is now a necessity - to dovetail these major expansion plans with current operations. It will be a challenging and busy role; and I'm very pleased that we have appointed a seasoned professional to do the job."

Hull Trains is currently negotiating additional train paths to London with Network Rail, and is also expected to announce a deal which will see the introduction of brand new 125 mph train sets in early 2005.

Notes to Editors:

For further information please contact Simon Taylor or William Syms on 01482 620614 or 07787810076

Hull Trains was formed in the Autumn of 2000 and operates four direct services between London and Hull each day, carrying around 330,000 people each year
Recent rail industry performance figures reveal that Hull Trains continues to be one of the most reliable and punctual train operating companies in the UK.
Mark Leving has worked in the rail industry for 25 years, including a three years degree course Liverpool. He started his career in 1978 working for the BR Area Manager in the Leeds area, and has subsequently worked in Huddersfield, Wakefield, York, Manchester, London and most recently York again. Mr Leving joined Railtrack at its inception in late 1993 as the Account Manager for WAGN. He currently acts as the primary customer and contractual focus for GNER & Hull Trains, and sponsors & promotes issues and schemes important to the customers. He is also involved in sponsoring cross functional/industry issues.
Mark Leving is 44, married to Jan, and they have two children (14 & 12). The family lives in Leeds. His interests include - cycling, tennis and DIY.

Railhub Archive ::: 2003-05-06 HUL-001