AFTER 42 years, Darryl Rosewall is finally making tracks.
The Dandenong resident this week retired from V/Line before catching the train home to Yarraman station.
“It’s a nice feeling and looking back I think I’ve had 17 different jobs here since 1972,” the ex-information officer said.
“I’ve had great times and worked at so many places across Melbourne. My first job was casual, packing freight in the goods division in a building that no longer exists called Number One Shed near Docklands.”
The 62-year-old believed the rail industry had changed for the better with a majority of the public now respectful of the work done by rail operators, which wasn’t always the case in the 1960s and 1970s when services were less reliable.
V/Line’s Systems and Safeworking Manager Rupert Capper praised Mr Rosewall for his commitment and enthusiasm.
“I think Generation Y would be surprised to hear about people who commit to one employer for as long as Darryl has. The benefits are mutual and it’s sad to see him go,” Mr Capper said.
In the short-term, Mr Rosewall and wife Joanne will be spending more time with their eight children and three grandchildren.
But retirement will also give Mr Rosewall the chance to become more engaged with his beloved Springvale Lions Baseball Club.
“Hopefully I’ll be seeing some more baseball. I’ve played it nearly all my life, close to 50-odd years,” he said.
Despite retirement, Mr Rosewall will always retain an affection for rail.
“I’ll still go past a railway or station, or read about something in the papers and think about how things will be progressing. That may never change,” he said with a smile.
