My first direct contact with Adrian was about 25 years ago, when he and I both sat on a panel at a passenger service conference. I’d been asked to speak about innovations in rail catering and was explaining about how airline style food preparation would be rolled out on the new Pendolino and Voyager trains for Virgin. In the audience was veteran commentator and catering expert, the late Brian Perren, who laid into me about how this would certainly be a backward step and a move towards microwave foil topped plastic meals on a tray. Ever generous, Adrian came to my aid, vigorously highlighting the challenges of delivering high quality meals in a two and a half metre wide metal tube, while travelling at 125 mph. Adrian and I came into contact many times since, but I will always remember our first meeting.