The MMMA (www.mmma.org.uk) has announced that Pete Waterman — a member of the Stock Aitken Waterman song-writing team, which wrote and produced many hit singles — has become an honorary member of the Association.

This follows an after-dinner speech by Mr Waterman in May 2018 at the MMMA & ISME Gold Medal Awards event.

He was on his feet for over an hour, speaking about his music career, plus his enthusiasm for engineering and the training of young people.

In 2013, the Government invited him to join its HS2 growth taskforce, which was asked to identify opportunities for economic development and other benefits arising from this major project.

Railways have also been a life-long passion for Mr Waterman, who has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the UK rail industry, and the preservation of steam locomotives is close to his heart.

Mr Waterman was awarded an OBE in the 2005 New Year’s Honours list for his services to the music industry.

He is a director of the Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership and a Patron of the National Skills Academy for Railway Training.