Teenage trainspotting, plus a passion for the railway that matches his love for Sunderland AFC, have transported John Smith to a successful career

Travel north on the east coast mainline, the main London to Edinburgh route, and you may spot the gift John Smith received from colleagues last year.

The huge sign, which stands metres away from the line just north of Peterborough station, carries the Sunderland AFC emblem alongside two arrows, one pointing 85 miles south to Wembley, the other 188 miles to the club’s Stadium of Light. “The lad who did it was a Newcastle supporter, so it was through gritted teeth,” says Smith, the boss of GB Railfreight and a lifelong Sunderland fan.