Alan Williams is a Modern Railways columnist, known as the Sage of Effingham (he used to live near Effingham Junction).
A plaque at Effingham Junction station commemorates his opening in 2012 of the new station building which replaced the 1888 London & South Western Railway building.
He was head of news at the Department of Trade & Industry from 1979 to 1988 and was responsible for advising successive secretaries of state and ministers on media issues.
During this time he was also seconded to the Prime Minister's office.
At Royal Mail, Alan was responsible for all external relations with the media, government, parliament and opinion formers and for group-wide internal communications policy.
He was also a member of the British Railways Board design panel from 1983 to 1994 and an associate of the Institution of Railway Signal Engineers.
He has written several books, including the satirical the 1983 Not the Age of the Train.
He now lives at Grosmont, Yorkshire.