Celebrating Railway 200: The People Powering the Future of Rail

Trevor Marshall – Managing Director

As part of our Railway 200 celebrations, we’re sharing the stories of the people at the heart of Mercury3 Consult – the individuals who are shaping the future of the industry. 

This week, we’re proud to feature our Managing Director, Trevor Marshall. Trevor has built a varied and hugely successful career in rail infrastructure operations and project delivery, bringing decades of hands-on experience, technical leadership, and strategic insight into everything he does. 

From his early days working in rural signal boxes to leading teams on major programmes – such as the Stratford Stations project, the Rail Industry Development Centre, and the Transpennine Route Upgrade – he has played a key role in keeping rail moving both in the UK and overseas. 

As a co-founder of Mercury3 Consult, Trevor helped establish the company with a clear vision: to deliver expert-led consultancy that drives long-term value across the transport and infrastructure sector. He continues to shape that vision today through his leadership, mentoring, and industry-wide contributions. 

Currently, Trevor is supporting the National Railway Museum with technical and asset management expertise as part of their repairs to the Turntable Roads in their Great Hall – just one of many initiatives marking the museum’s 50th anniversary and the wider Railway 200 celebrations. 

Below, Trevor shares his reflections and hopes for the future of rail. 

👉 How it All Started 

After leaving the Army in June 1991 and working briefly for local businesses in York, I responded to an advertisement in the local newspaper. I was invited for assessments, a medical examination, and an interview, which led to the start of my railway career in April 1992. 

A memorable and humorous moment from that time was my first visit to the Poppleton signal box, which would become my first signalling location. I had naively assumed that a signal box would resemble a high-tech digital centre straight out of a Hollywood film. Instead, I discovered a rather interesting-looking shed filled with levers and a token machine, along with paraffin-filled lamps on the crossing gates and signals! 

This was my first job in the railway industry, and I grew to love it – the location, the small garden outside, and the people I worked with. From there, I progressed through various signal boxes situated in remote, rural, and picturesque locations. I also worked with freight and coal traffic, as well as at Leeds City Station. Looking back, those early years in rail were all about making it work, doing what the railway has always done for so many people.

💬 A Memorable Railway Moment 

The first significant role the railway played in my life was in 1986 when I travelled from Barrow-in-Furness to Carlisle along the Cumbrian coast. When I joined the army, I made this journey to declare my oath of allegiance to the Queen and country.

Little did I know that I would be using the railway much more frequently after that.

🚅 Looking Ahead: The Future of Rail 

I believe that rail transportation will continue to be a crucial part of our lives for many years to come. While its physical infrastructure may evolve to include maglev trains, monorails, or different track materials that can support higher speeds, the core concept will remain largely the same. The supporting technology is likely to become even more sophisticated, enabling faster and more complex operations, and eventually leading to full automation.

Passenger trains are expected to see the most significant advancements. I envision them becoming more luxurious, functioning almost like mobile workspaces or places to relax, rather than simply a means to get from one destination to another.

Mass transit needs will drive further innovations, requiring smaller trains capable of shuttle-type services that could run alongside large apartment blocks and residential areas within megacities, rather than at traditional stations. These trains may even harness energy through their movement and incorporate solar power capture and wind turbines within their design.