Retirement ends 122 years of one family’s service to Nottingham City Transport

Nottingham City Transport says a fond farewell to Karen Allen, based in the Travel Centre, who retires from NCT after over 42 years of service.

Karen’s retirement marks the end of 122 combined years of service by the Allen family, the first of whom started working for NCT over 90 years ago in 1932. 

Karen’s granddad was the first from the family to work for NCT, starting as a bus driver in 1932 and then transferring to the Engineering Department after World War II, where he worked for 22 years as a panel beater.  

In 1941, Karen’s uncle joined NCT as a blacksmith for 24 years and was followed by his brother, Karen’s dad, in 1955. Karen’s dad, Bernard, who is now in his early nineties, enjoyed 26 years in NCT’s Engineering Department as a coachbuilder and trimmer. 

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With a family background in the Engineering Department, it was natural that Karen followed in the Allen’s footsteps, joining NCT as an Engineering Administrator in 1980. Karen then undertook administrative work across the business before helping launch and run the Company’s Direct Debit system for 20 years. 

Karen will be greatly missed by her colleagues in the Travel Centre, who organised a surprise retirement party for her last week. Karen said, “I have thoroughly enjoyed working for NCT and will miss the laughs and banter with customers and colleagues”.

To celebrate the long service and dedication of three generations of the Allen family to NCT, the Company invited Bernard to be part of his daughter’s retirement presentation, where Managing Director, David Astill presented Karen’s certificate and enjoyed a trip down memory lane with Karen’s very proud dad telling stories about his time at NCT.

David Astill, said:

“I am pleased to thank Karen for dedicating the best part of her working life to NCT with 42-and-a-half years of service.

“It was an added bonus to also meet her father, Bernard, and celebrate with them the combined service of the Allen family of 122 years which must be very close to, if not, a record.

“I congratulate the Allen family on a phenomenal achievement and hope that Karen has a retirement in duration to match that of 91-year-old Bernard.“