Retirement

[GNRi1959]

I took early retirement 31st January after 43years of work. A majority of that time in training and teaching in our local college.

I must say that railway modelling has been pushed totally aside as my shed now is home for chop saw, jig saws, carpenters tools and timber! I've been making garden furniture to order - photos below, the bottom one is a childs!

So although  I am having a ball, I do miss a bit of modelling. Hope everyone is taking care, enjoying the weather and staying safe.

 

Tony

 

[Lambeg man]

2 hours ago, GNRi1959 said:

I took early retirement 31st January after 43 years of work.

May it be long and happy. LM

[the Bandon tank]

 Enjoy your retirement, like yourself, I retired in October 2019 after 47 years of work, 37 of them in educating and training. Apprenticeship training. I am now hoping to spend a little more time railway modeling.

[GNRi1959]

Were you involved in SkillBuild or Skills competitions at all?

[WRENNEIRE]

Early retirement after 47 years ........
I washed the shovel in 2010 at 55, I reckon that's nearer early retirement  

[GNRi1959]

Well, If I have to be honest, I was on a wind down for the few years leading up to my final decision. When they introduced remote teaching for my Carpenter students, I knew it was time to go!

[the Bandon tank]

Yes, I was involved with the Irish skills Olympics team about fifteen years ago. 

[GNRi1959]

Very good.

I had a great run with a couple of Carpentry apprentices -  5 x Consequtive NI Final Golds - 3 x UK Final Golds - One European Gold and 8th in World Final.

I was assistant training manager for a few months before I left the scene.

[jhb171achill]

I escaped from my employment world too at age 55 - and it's just as well, as the type of job doesn't exist any more.................

Edited March 23, 2021 by jhb171achill

[Mike 84C]

I did stick at my job till age 69 but last three yrs part time but I had a reason; small wife and large mortgage!! Often the result of second marriages! Also the EU have made the HGV drivers hours regulations so complicated its B----y ridiculous.  

[PJR]

Must be a thing with us train fellows and retirement at 55. I also retired  at that age and was involved in  Irish skills team some 45 years ago 

[Irishswissernie]

I did 32 years with Midland Bank and got out when HSBC took over.  If it had been 6 months later when I was 50 I could have had a full pension . As it was at 49 i had to settle for 32 years redundancy  instead, but I put all the redundancy payment over 30K into the pension fund to avoid income tax and then took my pension at age 50 but at 50% of the normal retirement pension. In the good old days Bank pensions were none-contributory ie nowt was deducted off your salary when you were working.

I then worked part-time for Nat Worst bank for another 10 years thereby accumulating another none contributory pension.

I didn't want to end up like my late father who worked until he was 65 in the Blood Transfusion Service and in the evenings on week days taught Haematology to medical students. He always told my mother that when he retired they could go out and enjoy the fruits of his labours, however 6 months after he retired was diagnosed with Stomach Cancer spent most of his time in hospital and passed away 3 years later.

[Robert Shrives]

1 hour ago, Mike 84C said:

I did stick at my job till age 69 but last three yrs part time but I had a reason; small wife and large mortgage!! Often the result of second marriages! Also the EU have made the HGV drivers hours regulations so complicated its B----y ridiculous.  

I won`t tell !      FWIW I and I guess Mike will as well know of many rail staff who retired and dies in a matter of years and really saw few fruits of their labours - the worst was just two weeks, made even worse we all thought he had got the wanderlust but he was dead on the floor of his flat. ... The government generously tells me my state retirement  age is now 67.. I might stay longer just to spite them  and the tea is free at work. 

     

Robert 

[Broithe]

I had a proper job for twenty years, until it became a matter of what colour uniform was going to take me away. 

We had another of our annual clearouts and they asked for volunteers - I realised that, if they had asked for volunteers to stay, then I would not have applied - so I took the plunge.

It was actually much easier to 'get by' than I imagined it would be - having a regular job has its costs, being free to set your own agenda lets you work far more efficiently.

I still had thirteen years left on the mortgage at that time, but I got by OK - if I needed more money to give people, then it was a matter of getting it, and that was generally possible.

That was 1993 - I'm weeks away from when I should have been a pensioner, of sorts, but the posh boys have added a further year to wait.

It's not for everybody, but it is doable.

As for retiring in the more normal manner, there is no best before date - do it, as soon as you can!

 

For the first few years after my escape, people would often ask "Do you miss it at all?" - to which my standard answer was "Yes. First thing every morning".

Edited March 23, 2021 by Broithe
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