Alan Hopgood, South West Trains clerical officer for Teddington station has been appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) by Her Majesty The Queen in the Birthday Honours List.

Alan started his career in 1978 and has spent 26 out of 31 years on the railway at Teddington station as clerical officer. His in-depth knowledge of the rail network coupled with an exceptional dedication to finding the most appropriate routes and tickets for customers has brought respect from colleagues and praise from customers. Passengers appreciate Alan’s helpful attitude and love both his friendliness and the fact nothing is ever too much trouble. His outstanding work has seen him being awarded with the Outstanding Customer Service Member of the Year Award in 2008, thanks to votes from customers who overwhelmingly backed him. Alan also won the Outstanding Customer Service category at the Railstaff Awards in 2009 where he was up against nominees from various other transport companies.

Alan is passionate about his work and his customers, taking pride in being helpful and giving excellent advice on travel arrangements and making sure customers get the best value ticket. He is also always on hand to offer retailing advice to his colleagues both at Teddington and other locations on the South West Trains’ network, sharing his knowledge and expertise freely, ensuring that they feel more confident and better equipped to meet the passenger’s needs. Alan received an impressive amount of letters of support from passengers supporting him for an MBE Honour.

Alan said: “I enjoy working at Teddington station. It is an ideal size station where I can meet with 30 to 40 “friends” every day and work with fantastic colleagues. Being honoured with an MBE is a real privilege. I am delighted to be given this honour and will continue to try my best to be helpful to our customers.”

Matt Winnie, Area Manager for South West Trains said:”We are delighted for Alan to be honoured with an MBE. Alan’s dedication to the railway and its people has been outstanding. His work over the last 31 years has earned him a great deal of respect and gratitude from fellow colleagues and customers alike. We are truly indebted to him.”

Alan’s long service and popularity lead to a feature in the local newspaper, where he was referred to as “Mr Teddington”.