Bus man who started his career in Bulwell is retiring after 50 years of service

Mark is one of the company's longest ever serving colleagues, starting with NCT as an apprentice fitter at the company’s Bulwell garage back in September 1973

The Lawson family have working connections with NCT since the 1920s, as both Mark's mother and grandmother worked for NCT, and Mark's grandmother was one of the first conductors in the company.

After completing his apprenticeshi, Mark became a permanent fitter in Bulwell.

However, for the last 19 years, Mark has been a vehicle inspector at NCT’s Parliament Street garage.

During his career, Mark worked on several bus types and remembers working on the Silver Jubilee bus of 1977 and meeting the Lord Mayor in 1999 when they visited NCT to offer thanks for the efforts he'd made over the years in his work.

Mark said: "I've been proud working for NCT because I feel like I've achieved something through the job I've done.

"I'll certainly miss working at NCT, where I've made a lot of friends over the years.

"Sometimes it's not been so good getting up at 5.30am on a cold, frosty February morning but on the whole, I've really enjoyed it.

"I wouldn't have been here 50 years otherwise."

David Astill, NCT managing director, added: “For Mark to have accumulated 50 years of continuous service is remarkable.

"On behalf of the whole team I thank him for his dedicated and loyal service and wish him well for the long and happy retirement that he has surely earned.”